Hell's Anatomy
by lordvio
Summary: Allen is a medical student struggling to see tomorrow while working three jobs at day and studying like a madman at night. As if his life is not miserable enough, his professor, Kanda, has a sadistic pleasure in forcing him to fail his course. Yullen.
1. Chapter 1

**_The Beginning_**

Corpus callosum.

Allen bit into the apple, ignoring the juice that dripped off his chin.

Corpus callosum. It connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Callosum. He bit the apple again and frowned when the juice stained his anatomy book. It wasn't even his book. The apple's flesh slowly became darker, as if that thing was infested. The boy spat it out, disgusted.

"Hey, kiddo."

The boy lifted his chin meeting Lavi's face. The redhead grinned for no apparent reason and sat on the tall seat in a care-free manner. Then he hollered shamelessly through the whole café:

"Hey, can I have some coffee here?"

Allen frowned and tugged his sleeve.

"You should really stop that, Lavi. You're attracting attention!"

Lavi grinned again and ruffled the boy's head.

"Jealous, ain't you? No worries, little guy, I can handle attention." He smiled in a confident way making Allen sigh and roll his eyes. Even though this guy looked like a carefree flirt he was THE TOP of his Anatomy, Chemistry, and Genetics classes.

Allen wasn't. He was lucky they put him on the waiting list, and when he was reluctantly accepted he found out that college was the embodiment of Hell. The cost of the books made him clench his hair and curse Cross, his guardian, for being a debt machine. He already was thinking of abandoning his third job just to have more time for college.

"Oi, Allen! Are you listening?" Lavi was frowning again, annoyed at the lack of the attention Allen gave him. The boy sighed and let his chin touch the surface of the slightly dirty table.

"Lavi, you know I have to work in an half of an hour. I need to study. Please don't distract me!"

"Oh, come on! It's not THAT hard! Just a few terms and definitions!" Lavi whined like a spoiled child. "I'll take those books from you if you won't stop leering over them!"

Allen sighed and put the book away. He darkly frowned and crossed his arms.

"Happy now?"

Lavi smirked.

"Of course not, silly. I'll be happy when you'll be all eyes and ears, actually paying attention to what I'm saying!" He sipped from his cup and grinned again.

"So."

Allen's attention drifted toward the window where the sky was gray and pissed off, and where people passed hurriedly, trying to run away from the invisible rain.

"Allen!"

The boy snapped out of his daze."What?"

Lavi scoffed. "Look, this is annoying! I'm trying to have a conversation here!"

The boy frowned and lifted the book again. "I have a quiz in a week, Lavi. And I'm already behind. And the debt collectors came yesterday again."

Lavi frowned. He looked at his coffee as if that thing killed his mother. "You mean those fucking bastards came again? I thought you already paid off the whole Casino thing."

"Yeah, I did," the boy shuddered when the door opened, letting a blow of cold air in his back. "I did, but they came again and said that Cross owed them again." He looked sorrowfully at his cup. "I'm really getting tired of all this. I wish it'd just stop."

"Yeah…" Lavi responded, his eyes half closed. "It sucks. Especially with that teacher you got in your Anatomy class."

"Oh no, don't go there again!" Allen groaned and dropped his head on the book. "That jerk makes my days hell!"

"Lucky me! I don't have his classes, only that Cloud Nyne babe," Lavi grinned. They finally were TALKING.

"Lavi, don't laugh. I desperately hate that bastard. He is Lucifer, Lord of Hell."

"Hell, huh? I'd admit he sounds strict, but _Hell_… Ha! Who fuckin' cares!" Lavi snickered meeting Allen's indignant eyes.

"I do! He made me write a ten page paper just because I fell asleep in his class! TEN PAGES!" he vociferated, lifting his arms. " That prick doesn't even realize I need to sleep and eat and work two jobs to pay for his class!"

Lavi frowned.

"I thought you applied as a student with financial hardships. Don't they pay your tuition?"

Allen nodded weakly.

"They didn't accept me. Well," he corrected himself, "they did, at first. Then my grades made them reconsider." He frowned and sipped the cold coffee. Lavi whistled.

"Gah, you have it hard. And speaking of that Hell Teach, there he is!"

Allen chocked on the coffee and turned his head, alerted. Two tables away from them, his professor was sitting with a blond woman with glasses. He looked bored and tired. Allen slowly got up and started to pack his things away, stealthily glancing at the man. Lavi lifted one brow.

"You're THAT afraid of him?!"

Allen's shoulders drew in. He looked away.

"N-no, it's just—"

"Walker?"

The boy tensed. Lavi threw a glance at the man. He was tall and slender. His long coat still sparkled of the fine rain that was rampaging outside.

"P-professor Kanda…" Allen murmured looking away. The man approached their table, throwing a heavy glance at Lavi, visibly not approving his pierced ears and tongue. Lavi frowned and demonstratively leaned on the table. The man lifted one brow, haughtily staring him down. _Like a fucking king. _

"G-good evening…" Allen's voice was uneven and wobbly. Lavi could see the slight shaking of the boy's fingers when the man was two feet away. He seemed pale and lost.

"I still don't have your paper, Walker."

Allen gulped.

"I…I still haven't finished it yet, sir."

Lavi almost cursed in amazement when he saw Kanda's eyes. They were blue, an unnatural feature for his oriental face. Lavi felt a shudder seeing them narrow. That man looked pissed off major time.

"I thought we talked about that, Walker. I already gave you a three-day extension."

Allen gulped and nodded. Lavi suddenly felt the urge to punch the tall bastard in his pretty face.

"I cannot give you more time, Walker. I will accept your paper by the end of today. Feel free to run and finish it." He almost smirked. _That fucking bastard almost smirked_. Lavi cursed through his teeth.

"Yuu, the tea's already here," the blond woman said approaching Kanda. She put her hand on his sleeve and Lavi unconsciously admired her pale and well manicured hand. Kanda shrugged and glared at her.

"Don't call me that. You know I hate the name." He turned away and Lavi sensed Allen finally relaxing, just for a bit. The boy jumped startled when Kanda eyed him again.

"Don't be late. You have time until eleven PM. I won't accept it later."

Allen nodded and, Lavi noticed, tried to respond but chocked on his own words.

"Well then." Kanda curtly nodded and Lavi noticed his hair. It was almost touching his ass. _Like a freaking girl._

"He can't. Not today."

Allen stared at his friend wide eyed. Kanda glanced at the redhead with disgust. The blond woman lit a cigarette and departed, slightly swinging her hips.

"He has to work today," Lavi continued, scratching his nose. He inwardly sneered when he saw the man frowning.

"You are…"

"Lavi Bookman. Nice to meetcha." Lavi grinned when the look of disgust on Kanda's face turned into a haughty fleer.

"I still don't see how this concerns you," the man replied, cocking his head to one side. Lavi cocked it too, mimicking Kanda.

"It does, _Yuu_," he grinned even wider when the mocking expression on the man's face was replaced by a delightful (for Lavi) paleness. He looked downright furious.

"Where did you hear that, idiot?" he hissed, eyes narrowing. Lavi laughed loudly attracting the attention of the entire café.

"From your woman's mouth, Teach. She's one good lookin' dudette." God, he was enjoying it. The look on Kanda's face made him tremble with excitement. He had never felt this way before. He was almost happy. He barely realized that Allen was staring at him with pleading and horrified eyes. Lavi didn't care. He felt almost ecstatic making that pale man whiten with fury.

"Shut your damn mouth, brat. Don't you dare speak about my sister like that."

Oh, news to him. Lavi smirked.

"I see where your girly looks come from, Teach. Are you sure she's not your mothe—"

Suddenly the man was close, too close to his face. Lavi chocked. That bastard was clenching his collar.

"Shut up, sonnovabitch!"

Kanda's breath was minty and it tickled his face. Lavi trembled inwardly, feeling the touch of cold fingers on his throat. It was exciting. He had no idea why but he could barely contain this intoxication with this fight. He liked fighting mentally and physically alike.

Suddenly, he found himself on the floor, staring in Allen's pale eyes. The boy stood erect, stiff in a boldness that horrified him a few seconds later. Kanda was holding his chest, dumbly staring at the boy in front of him. He couldn't understand why he was bent almost in two.

"STOP IT! Stop it! St-sto…"

Allen's voice became hoarse all of a sudden. He glanced at his professor and turned away when he met his eyes. Lavi gaped at him silently, still not believing his outburst. Allen's face was white and his lips trembled. He tried to smile for some reason but stopped his efforts when two huge tears wetted his chin.

"I…I have t-to g-go…"

He spasmodically nodded 'good bye' and stumbled to the door. A mocking ring of the bell and silence prevailed in the room. People were silent and blinking and snapped out of this trance when someone entered the café.

Lavi slowly got up, trying to understand what happened. He saw Kanda on his feet, eyes down and hand shaking. He was overwhelmed by a silent fury. His sister looked at him indifferently, sipping her tea. She moved only when the man reluctantly paced to the door.

"Yuu, your tea is cold. And it's already nine."

The man gritted his teeth. Lavi suddenly found himself staring at his eyes. He had long eyelashes.

"Shut up, Lullubel. I'm leaving." His voice was absent, as if he was speaking out of habit. Turning his face he gave Lavi a long glare.

"Tch."

Before Lavi could even think of a worthy response he left, slamming the door behind him.

___________

Allen looked at the door in front of him. It led into an expensive apartment in the very center of the city. He gulped and fearfully glanced at the door handle. It was made of brass. According to the crumbled piece of paper in his pocket, this was the door of Yuu Kanda, professor with a PhD in Anatomy and Biochemistry, the one that offered courses with honors component available.

And now Allen was standing in front of apartment 555, bl. 3, Boulevard of Liberty. He lifted his hand and softly rapped in the door. Somewhere in his soul he hoped that this door would never open. He glanced at his watch. Ten fifty. He rapped again, panicking. Nothing.

"You're here already, Walker? How surprising."

Allen stiffed. He heard a jingle of keys and the mocking voice of his professor behind him. He felt his knees shaking. This man terrified him mindlessly. He once humiliated him in front of the entire class, just for the fact that he came late. Only two months passed from the beginning of the semester and that man already made Allen's life hell.

"He-helo…" the boy mumbled, feeling stupid and agitated. Kanda scoffed. He slightly pushed the boy away from the door and opened it, pacing inside.

"Do I have to wait an eternity before you consider entering, Walker?"

Allen murmured an apology and stumbled into the apartment.

_______

**Is it me, or Kanda resembles Snape from H. Potter? I hope it's me.....**

**This story will continue if I get a considerable amount of reviews. Now it's up to you, guys.**


	2. Hell 2

**Liver**

Allen reluctantly entered the apartment. He nervously glanced at Kanda's feet, noticing his clean and polished footwear. The man was sitting down, pulling a shoe off his feet, frowning as if that process somehow gave him trouble.

"What are you staring at, Walker?"

The boy averted his eyes and gripped his bag tighter. A bead of sweat tickled his cheek. It was way too hot in here. Feeling that Kanda wasn't looking at him anymore he raised his eyes and murmured:

"I brought my paper, sir."

The man glanced at him irritated. He bent and picked up his shoes, putting them in the corner.

"Of course you did, idiot. Why else would you come here for?"

Allen nodded. Somehow he _did_ feel stupid in Kanda's presence. The man acted like an ass with the majority of his students, yet the harshest critique and sometimes the chalk targeted Allen most of the time.

"Take off your goddamn shoes and get your ass in here."

Allen hesitantly sat down on the dark bench, getting his feet out of the sneakers. He felt that the sneakers –black and white, and quite worn—didn't belong in this house. Just like him. He stood up, putting his bag on the bench and frowned looking at his dark green winter coat, the one Lavi gave him. It was too big. He put it down and sighed, trying to calm his nerves.

"Can I enter?"

Kanda nodded curtly, holding a Japanese cup. He was in the guestroom, his hair down, and Allen gaped at his jeans and white T-shirt. He didn't look like a professor, he didn't even hint it. More like a senior in college. Allen nervously paced inside and almost stumbled on the fluffy carpet. Kanda simply smirked seeing his clumsiness and pointed at the sofa.

"Let me see your paper."

Allen tensed and carefully handed him a folder. He gulped seeing the smirk on Kanda's face.

"Is there a problem, professor?"

The man sat down on the sofa, next to the boy and crossed his legs. He held the paper in his lap, scanning through the words. Once or twice he smirked, making Allen swallow the iron tasting lump in his throat.

"Not bad, Walker, not bad."

Allen rapidly glanced up, sensing an amused smile. The man's lips were twitching, as if trying to laugh. Allen slowly let his body relax. He hesitantly let his shoulders touch the sofa's back. Everything was going to be ok. He submitted the paper in time and the professor seemed to be quite pleased with it.

Allen's shoulders were propped against the fluffy pillows. He felt them ache, remembering the two hours of sitting in the park with the laptop. And the six hours in the convenience store, standing erect with a perfect smile, greeting and asking how he could help them today while scanning the coffee and the pastrami. It was exhausting.

"Is this the part you wrote today?"

Kanda's voice hit him like a hammer. The boy jumped up rigidly, hitting his heel in the sofa's leg. He felt a jolt of sharp pain scratching his heel like a cat. He glanced at the paper. It was all red with comments and lines. He silently pointed at the paragraph he recognized.

"Hm." Kanda frowned and covered his mouth, lost in the scanning process.

Allen tensed again. It was not an amused "Hm." The man bit the red pen, cocking his head. The boy eyed him silently, hoping to see the slightest change in his face. The lips were still smirking. Good. His eyes were directed on the paper, still and unblinking. Was there something wrong? Allen looked at his face again, seeking some hint, if there was one.

And froze. Kanda's eyes weren't smiling, or smirking, or even sneering. They were frowning, giving him a dark and satisfied look. He turned the page. And smiled crookedly, showing his teeth. The expression in his eyes intensified, narrowing the eyelids. It was creepy.

"This is worthless, Walker. Complete and utter crap."

The boy fisted his palms, pressing them into his lap. The knuckles became sickly white. His throat turned into sandpaper. He opened his mouth and closed it, aghast.

" 'scusme?"

Kanda got up and threw the paper on the low glass table.

"The second part. It's not even worth reading."

Kanda cocked his head again, like a bird watching a worm crawl.

"I can't even give you a grade for it, Walker."

The boy slowly raised his head, staring at the man in shock and horror.

"Wh-what do y-you mean?!"

In response the man started to sip his tea. Then he looked smugly at the boy and smirked.

"You were writing about the abdominal cavity, right?"

Allen agreed anxiously, standing up. Kanda smirked again. The boy barely reached his shoulder. He looked more like a high school freshman that somehow ended up in college. His face glowed in the semi-dark room. The eyes were painfully attentive, just like that time when he cut into the corpse in the anatomy class during the dissection week.

"Can you tell me where is the gall produced?"

The boy blinked. He looked at the paper and pocked his lip.

"The gallbladder, sir."

Kanda's smirk dissipated. He looked downright furious.

"The LIVER, idiot! It's secreted by hepatocytes in the LIVER and STORED in the gallbladder! What the hell were you doing these past eight weeks?!"

Allen looked away. How the hell could have Kanda known what he went through these eight weeks? Looking for jobs, trying to find cheap books that do NOT have missing pages and ending up borrowing them from Lavi, finally getting hired, coming late two times and loosing the job, and—

"Either you are an idiot or you act like one! Making such a basic and foolish mistake— what the hell were you thinking?"

The boy gritted his teeth, still staring at the white carpet under his feet. He didn't want to hear it, not from this bastard that screwed his life up.

"And the liver, goddamit… How could you NOT mention the role of the hepatic portal vein and the blood supply it provides? Are you making fun of me? Do you really expect that you'll pass my class with flying colors and all that shit?"

Allen shut his eyes. Kanda didn't even need to say that. Half his classes were made up of Ds. But this class was the worst one.

"I… I'm sorry. I wrote the second part in hurry," he murmured, "I already returned the Anatomy book, so I wrote it from my memory."

Kanda was silent for two seconds. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"What kind of shitty memory do you have? Besides, these details you have to know by heart, Walker. I hate excuses." The man frowned and glared directly in Allen's face.

Allen scowled.

"That's not an excuse! And it's impossible to know _everything_ by heart! I can't do it!"

Kanda cocked his head in a dark amused smile.

"Can't, huh? Then just drop it."

Allen's face snapped up. Kanda was watching him with a strange sneer. Was he serious? How could he smile saying that?!

"Just drop the class. That way you won't have an F mark on your record." Kanda continued, indifferently eyeing the boy. "Or just transfer. I don't want to have a dumb louse in my class. I have my pride, Walker."

Allen daftly stared at the man in front of him. He unconsciously opened his mouth, trying to say something, anything to protest. The man waved his hand, dismissing the unspoken words.

" I know, you'll lose the money you paid for the course. But that's to be expected."

Allen shook his head, negatively. The carpet and the coffee table, Kanda's face, the sofa, everything blurred.

"I..I can't do that! S-sir! I can't drop the course! I can't gi—"

"You can't?" the man murmured, cupping his own chin. "Of course you can't. You're one of those '_tomorrow will be a better day'_ fools with no sense of reality."

Kanda slowly sat on the sofa and threw the boy a half lidded glance.

"I have no choice, Walker. If you don't drop the course I will fail you."

The boy slowly let his knees touch the carpet.

"You can't do that. You just can't," he whispered hoarsely. Looking up he met Kanda's face. The man was sneering. Allen gritted his teeth. That bloody bastard was enjoying this. He was enjoying his authority, his almightiness.

"You can't do that!" he said louder. His voice had strings of confidence to it. "You have no reason to fail me. People are not failed for bad grades. Only for six or more absences! And I was absent two times!"

"And tardy another fifteen, Walker," Kanda's smug voice apprehended him. "Every three tardy marks become an absence. Now, I don't think your math is as bad as anatomy. You can do a simple division problem, right?"

The boy glared at him with helpless fury and hatred. He looked like a pissed off cat, almost hissing and arching his back. Kanda laid his head back. He was staring at the ceiling. Allen was looking at the floor.

"You said I have no reason to fail you."

Kanda's voice made him jump up.

"I have a very good reason, Walker."

"If it's about the absences an—"

"You're not serious." Kanda turned his head, facing the window. The outside light fell on it, making him glow ominously in the dark.

"You're not serious about all this," he continued. "Not serious at all."

"I am serious! That's why I joine—"

"I hate people who come to my class thinking they are geniuses in disguise. I hate people who think that they will just have to show up regularly and pass, and then enjoy an easy life. But the most hateful people are those who blame anything and everything for their failure, the so-called victims."

Allen felt his throat dry.

"If you want to be a doctor, throw everything else from your head and study. Don't fill your damned brain with unnecessary distractions. And don't complain."

Kanda leaned on the window. He looked outside and crossed his arms. Allen lowered his head. It was tiring. It was, in fact, exhausting.

This man had no idea what he went through. This man had no idea what it was like to rush every second, to run from job to job almost automatically, smiling everyday like a Barbie doll because the boss wanted that. That bastard had no idea what it was like to try to stay awake in the class after work, trying to listen while his head was buzzing and the professor's words were an inaudible murmur in his ears.

"I'm still waiting for your decision, Walker. It's already one in the morning and I have a date tomorrow I cannot miss. You're wasting my time."

Allen simply paced toward the table and picked up his paper.

"Thank you for your time, professor. I'll see you on Monday."

Kanda threw him a heavy glance. The boy was in the hallway already, tripping in the dark. He tilted on the wall, letting his hands find the sneakers he came in. He could sense Kanda behind him, approaching slowly, with equal and even paces.

Allen felt his hair standing on an end. Only this man's closeness to his person made him shudder with fear. It wasn't normal. This fear had something animalistic in it. He gripped his newfound shoes and almost fell on the floor, hearing a loud 'click' of the light being turned on.

"So you decided to stay despite all the consequences?"

The boy stood up and forced himself to look directly into Kanda's eyes. He tried not to blink. Kanda had dark blue eyes and sculpted eyebrows. There was nothing scary in them. Only at that moment, that is. The second those eyes narrowed Allen knew something bad was going to happen. Something very bad.

"Well, what can I say? You leave me no choice."

Kanda crossed his arms and proceeded to walk into another room that Allen hadn't seen before. It seemed to be the bedroom. The boy heard the soft humming of the computer, the clicking of the keys, the Windows tune, and he finally understood.

Not even bothering to take off the shoes he just put on, the boy darted inside, not thinking about what he would do the next moment. It was as if his body moved on its own, too tired and weary of submitting itself to Allen's mind.

He almost kissed the floor, tripping on the high carpet. It was white here too, stridently contrasting with the completely black bed. Kanda glanced over the shoulder.

"What? Did you change your mind?"

Allen got up, supporting himself with one arm. Kanda half sneered. The boy looked scared and desperate. He fisted his hands and tried to say something, but swallowed the words, intimidated by Kanda's mocking eyes.

"W-why are you doing this? Why are you forcing me to drop the class?!"

Kanda stood up and looked at him genuinely surprised.

"Why? You don't know why?"

Allen hesitantly shook his head. Apart from considering Kanda a heartless monster with no conscience whatsoever who also was extremely sadistic, Allen really had no idea why. The man lowered his eyes. One corner of his mouth twitched. He slowly drew a hand through his loose hair.

"I see. You really are dumber than I thought."

Allen could only watch his back when the man sat down and started typing away. He looked tired and worn out. Two more minutes of typing and Allen backed away, with a packet from the printer shoved into his hands.

"I transferred you to Komui's class. That's better than getting an F in mine," Kanda mumbled, going past him and putting a long winter coat on.

Allen gritted his teeth. He looked down, feeling a powerful desire to strangle the man. Not being able to cope with his instincts anymore he pushed rudely through the hallway. Stuffing the paper in his postman style bag he glared at the Kanda.

"Good night, professor. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

Turning around he gripped the brass handle, twisting it down. The door didn't move. Allen stare irritated at the doorknob. He clasped it with hatred twisting it up this time. Nothing.

"It's locked, dumb ass."

A hand brushed past Allen's cheek trying to reach the handle and he jumped back, unknowingly slamming his body into Kanda's chest. He heard the man curse through the teeth and slap his hand away from the brass ball. He faintly distinguished the noise of the keys and the door opened wide. In the next second Allen was jumping the stairs by four at once. Thank god it was only the third floor.

When Allen finally went past the glass doors of the building's entrance he noticed his knees were shaking. He looked at his watch and groaned. It was one in the morning. And he had to be at work at six, because tomorrow was Saturday. He took out his wallet. Maybe, if he was lucky, maybe he had enough money to call for a taxi.

Three dollars and sixteen cents. Great. Just freaking great! He was stuck in the middle of the city, with no money, no car, not even buses. The buses always terminated their movements at twelve straight.

"What were you running away from, idiot? Get into the car and tell me your address."

Allen jumped up. He didn't even turn around to see who it was. He knew already.

"Nothanks!" he muttered, waving his hand. "I'll get there on my own!"

An exasperated sigh behind his back made Allen alert the muscles of his legs. He wanted only one thing right now: To get the hell away from here and never see the professor again. He turned around and bowed politely, hoping that the action will speak better than "good night". And deeply regretted it, for the hateful man grabbed him by the collar and threw him in the front seat of a Porsche.

"Sir, I told you I can get back on my own!" He fumbled with the door, trying to open it. Kanda scowled, not pleased by his reaction.

"How? The buses are not driving, idiot. Shut up and put your seat belt."

He started the car and elegantly drove into the night streets. He was silent and calm, completely ignoring Allen's panic movements.

"Let me out! This isn't even funny!"

As expected. No response. Kanda stopped at a red light. The neon sign above the store glittered, giving his face a blue color. Allen bit his lip. As always, this man did everything he wanted without considering others' feelings.

"What's your address, Walker?"

The boy scowled.

"Orange Street, western district." And fisted his palm. Kanda will now laugh. And that would be understandable.

The western district was a cheap place where the housing was not expensive and the price certainly suited the condition of these sorry apartments. Even if that place was a crappy and cursed place where gangs and police had almost a love-hate relationship, even so, it was his home. It was the place where he rented his small apartment.

"Is that your address? Doesn't it have an apartment number? Or do you occupy the whole street?"

The boy gave him a dirty look. He barely could restrain himself from choking the hell's spawn. Strange, but the thought that he won't see this man on Monday gave him a shady boldness. Somehow only now, when he thought of Kanda not as of his professor but a mere bastard with a moody attitude, the man didn't seem too scary. Screw that, he wasn't scary anymore. He was just a prick.

"What building do you live in?"

"Huh?"

Kanda snorted.

"Do. You. KNOW! Where. You. LIVE?" He enunciated, a mocking flicker dancing in his eyes. Allen stared at him with disgust.

"I'll get off here. Don't bother driving your nice car in these slums."

He nodded as a salute and got out of the car. Kanda watched him leaving, and only now noticed how the heavy bag on his shoulder made the boy slouch. He followed him via sight until his figure disappeared in the farthest building.

____________

And Allen stood in front of an apartment door again. This time his own. He sighed, letting the bag fall heavily on his toes. A smell of urine and cigarettes was fluttering in the air, accompanied by whispers and enraged cries from the next apartment. He hated this building. It was dirty, full of dirty people with dirty ideas and dirty dreams.

He slid the palm into his pocket. The keys had to be in his jeans, or under the mat, in case Lavi came by. And he did come by. The door opened before Allen could insert the key and a subtly freckled face grinned at him.

"Hey, kiddo! You just came from that Teach, right?"

Allen frowned. He dragged the bag after him, unceremoniously throwing his shoes in some corner. Then sighed and picked them up, putting them on a shelf.

"That bad, huh?"

Lavi's voice was soothing. The redhead knew him well. Allen smiled tiredly. He could sense the smell of garlic and fish in the air.

"Aha, really bad."

Lavi frowned and paced into the small kitchen. Allen could hear the water run. Most likely Lavi was making tea. Or coffee.

"Did he give you an F?"

The boy sat on the floor and put his chin on the knees. He looked at Lavi who was standing in front of him. The man was wearing jeans with rips and cuts and Allen mentally frowned, not getting why anyone would pay to look poor.

"Like them?"

Lavi grinned and posed like a model wannabe. Allen scoffed.

"You look like you deserted from Vietnam."

"Hey! That's the style nowadays!!! And people say I look hot!"

Allen raised one brow. How did get on this subject in the first place?

"That's their problem."

Lavi pouted and stuck his tongue out. It was pierced too, a new acquisition made especially to piss Allen off. He knew Allen was quite conservative in his clothing, preferring monochrome, simple colors.

As a contrast, Lavi always chose to wear bright clothes with low cuts in unusual places, emanating sexiness and pheromones. It was so freaking hilarious to see the kid flustered and angry with his style, especially when he came to that church Allen worked in. And he did fluster, dragging Lavi out and calling him a Satanist.

Lavi stared at the boy. The kid looked worn out and pale, even paler than usually, like some freaking ghost. And he was tired. _Too fucking tired. _Lavi could tell. What did that Teach do to him?

"Lavi, it's one thirty in the morning. I have to go to bed soon and really need to sleep. Just—"

"What did he do to you?" Lavi interrupted, eyeing him with intensity. He had to know.

The boy glanced at him, scowling. Lavi could see dark rings under Allen's eyes, and that gave him an exhausted and martyr-like look. His hair framed the face with a dusty gray, making him so much older.

"Did that bastard give you an F or something? You look like shit, you know."

"I feel like shit, Lavi," Allen managed to squeeze a laugh. As always in these situations it was fake and dead.

"It's ok, Lavi. It's nothing I cannot handle." Allen continued, unbuttoning his shirt. Lavi let his eyes wander on his shoulders. He was slouching. He looked so fragile and transparent that Lavi cursed. It was unbearable to see him like that. The kid put a towel on the shoulders and paced to the bathroom.

"Hey, you still didn't tell me what he did."

Allen let his hands down. Avoiding Lavi's face he murmured:

"I transferred to another Anatomy class."

"You _what_?"

Allen laughed weakly.

"It's not a big deal, Lavi. Besides, I heard Professor Komui is much easier to handle—"

"He forced you, right?"

"Ha?"

"He forced you." It was a statement, not a question.

Allen shot him a glance.

"It doesn't matter."

He opened the bathroom door and disappeared. Lavi crossed his arms. That fucking bastard. 'Doesn't matter' his ass. This wasn't right. Everything about it. And Allen too, how could he just agree with it? He bit his lip.

He took out his laptop and started fumbling with the plastic cords. The laptop was red, with crosses and skulls and female silhouettes on it, and Lavi considered it the_ awesomest pall a dude can have._ Besides beer.

He sat on the low chair listening to the water in the shower. Hell, that kid was trying to scrub to his very bones or what? Pulling the laptop to his knee he glanced at the bathroom door again. Allen would definitely not like his idea. But it was so fantastic! Besides, it was _his_ idea. And his ideas were the best.

______

"Lavi?"

Allen shivered slightly. He pulled the white bathrobe closer around his chest. No way! The heater broke again?! The apartment glared at him with its cold windows. Allen hated December. It was too cold. And he usually had to shovel at the entrance of the building, just to discover that it was full of snow again in the morning.

"Lavi? Are you still here?"

No, he wasn't. His presence was very noticeable, like the fireworks, or a dynamite stick, or a skunk. In other words, it was impossible not to sense him even if he was miles away. Judging by the quietness and messiness of the apartment, Lavi just had left.

The boy sighed and sat on the bed, wiping his hair. His arm started to complain, sending short, throbbing messages to his brain. He had to have it checked. Yeah. He sighed again. Trotting to the kitchen he smiled. That Lavi, he stuck a colorful note on the fridge. He had that habit, sticking post-it notes in the craziest colors with short messages everywhere.

This one was a typical Lavi note. It was crooked, with corners curled up, and the writing hurt the eyes with a green marker. It was strident and incredibly yellow.

_Dude!_

_Get yerself a chick! 'Tis the last time I heat the dinner for you! It's in the microwave, and there is definitely something wrong with it, it melted that red plate!_

_Ciao!!!_

_P.S. I enrolled in Teach's class. I wanna see him try expelling me from his shitty course._

_______________ _

_**I want to thank ChimerAlly for providing me with medical terms and a short lecture about how the gal works. Every bit of the anatomy terms and functions here is real. So, Yeah, I'm learning anatomy by writing Fanfiction!!! **_


	3. Hell 3

Rectus Abdominis.

"Shit."

Lavi winced and threw the razor in the sink. He closed the distance between himself and the mirror, stretching the skin on his cheek. A bead of blood carefully found its path on the epidermis.

"Aw, man…"

That damn razor. He squinted and threw a dirty glance at the plastic handle with Gillette logo on it. That stupid thing pulled his skin, dragging the hairs, not shaving them clean! Damn Beckham and his commercials!!! _"You're so unbeatable and unstoppable_!" Unstoppable his ass!! Unbeatable his—

"Shit, I'm late."

Lavi wiped the blood with a bit of toilet paper. He cursed, feeling the stinging of the eau-de-cologne on his neck. It sucked. This morning was the worst. He forgot. He actually forgot he transferred his sorry ass to the Kanda's heavy duty Anatomy course_._

"Damn."

Gripping the burned toast between his front teeth, Lavi flew out of the apartment making the door shudder in its hinges. He heard faint cussing behind him and grinned.

"Love you too, ancient Panda!!"

That old man… Lavi chuckled. His father was one of the best old farts around. Even though he was annoying, domineering, and a pain in the ass, he was a good old man.

Of course, the fact that he was Lavi's parent was annoying enough. The fact that he owned a hospital made him omnipotent. And there was also a third fact: the indisputable decision that Lavi was the heir of everything. And so, Panda made his son work hard, sweat blood, demanding him to be the best at everything he could think of. Yeah, even tap dancing, even if it had nothing to do with managing hospitals.

The redhead smiled widely sensing a strange sentiment inflating his chest.

His Mercedes, the bright red, sexy Mercedes, the one Old Panda gave him for his twenty second birthday. It was standing there elegantly, like a high class woman in high heels. Lavi smirked. He drew a hand against the car's thigh, shuddering in excitement at the cold under his fingers. It was perfect.

He finally entered it and grinned confidently like a NASCAR champion drenched in champagne. Hell, this was the best car ever! And the best thing was he deserved it. He was just as bright, high class man, with looks, brains, money, and terrific social skills.

And there was nothing, absolutely _nothing_ that could change that.

____

Lavi plopped down in the front row. The Teach's desk was two feet away, and that fucking Ice Prince would better notice him. Lavi smirked and leaned on the empty desk, throwing a furtive glance around. A girl sat next to him, her hair short and greenish, with an insipid face. Huh, even her assets were mediocre.

The girl turned to him and responded with a shy smile. _Dream on._ He wasn't interested. She was too… normal, too boring.

"You're new around here?"

Lavi smirked.

"I sure am! Is it that obvious?!"

The girl smiled understandingly.

"Ah, it makes sense. Just so you know…we're not allowed to wear rings. And we have to attend the lessons in white coats."

Lavi's grin faded. He looked at his ripped jeans, his sleeveless top that made a lot of skin see the sunlight, and at his fingers, adorned with metal.

"Aw, shit!"

The girl's lips tugged to smile but she suddenly froze, straightening in her seat. Lavi followed her face and felt something gnaw at his very stomach, annoying like a tooth ache.

Kanda was in front of him, placing a small pile of books on his desk. The murmur in the classroom evaporated, leaving a deadly and tense silence. Lavi could hear the shuffle of the white lab coat Kanda wore over the dark, expensive suit, and the whisper of his hair when it brushed past his shoulder. It was in a ponytail this time and Lavi found himself admiring the man.

Kanda's gaze was heavy, confident, and emanated a dangerous silence. _Just like some freaking royalty._

"Today you'll dissect the Rectus Abdominis muscle. I want to see the results of your studying."

The class was mute and apparently ready because Lavi could hear his breath clearer than anything, no murmurs or complains. Kanda nodded, giving the students permission to move into the labs. They got up chatty and fast, like starving sparrows exposed to a wheat field.

Kanda seemed to be unperturbed by the sudden noise. He was calmly scanning through some photos and papers, lost in thought. Lavi scowled. These students knew him well. They knew when to speak and when to shut up. It was like a small kingdom in here. Was everybody fucking _scared_ of that man?! Or maybe it was some kind of mute respect?

"What are you doing here?"

Lavi jumped up and hit his knee in the desk's corner.

"Fuck!!! Can't you warn me before you scare me shitless?!"

Kanda's lower lip became thinner, holding in a mute anger. Lavi grinned. The excitement was back.

"Well, you sure look good, Kanda-san," the redhead snickered, and the honorific felt unnatural in this western atmosphere. Kanda's face didn't even flinch. He contemplated him passively, as if he were faced with a piece of meat or a dead goldfish.

"If you are a part of this class, you should move your ass in the lab," he finally deadpanned, turning away with dignity. Lavi glared. He did not expect such a 'peaceful' reaction. He knew Kanda tended to be violent, or else he would have ignored Lavi in that café. Then why? Why was that damn bastard departing as if he owned the world?

As if guessing his thoughts, Kanda turned around and said indifferently:

"Put a lab coat on. At least you will look somewhat decent. And take off the rings, they are not allowed in here."

Lavi smirked.

"Nah, Yuu-_chan, _I can't do that. I'm the new student!!! I _have _no coat!!" Lavi's stomach flipped twice with laughter seeing Kanda's face. Calling the bastard by that Yuu name was a genius thought, yet adding an endearing honorific was freaking brilliant!! He could see that the professor turned white and tightened his jaw. The iceberg melted!!! No freaking ice anymore!

"Don't call me that. Ever." Kanda spat out, fisting his hand. The Cheshire cat's smile was a washed out imitation next to Lavi's grin.

"Why, Yuu~_chan_?!" he let out the words, barely holding the insane burst of laughter inside. The man clenched his teeth and hissed:

"Shut up!"

Lavi covered his face and burst out laughing. Kanda looked at him perplexed. The cackling sound hit the walls of the classroom, recreating the hohoing voice.

"I said: shut up!!!"

Lavi started hiccupping and laughing at the same time, chocking and slapping the desk continuously, turning every sound into an insane melody. Kanda was almost gripping his own head in fury, torn between a strong and appetizing desire to dissect the man and stuff him with potatoes and between a small voice in the back of the head, looking rather pale and pathetic, called Reason.

"Get your ass into the lab!!"

Lavi wiped his eyes. He could see Kanda's face convulsing, trying to contain the raw fury inside.

"Ok, Ok, I heard you, _Yuu-chan,_" Lavi blubbered, waving his hand. God, why didn't he join this class earlier?! It was so hilarious!!

__________

Lavi slowly backed away.

"W-what the hell is this?"

One of the students raised his head, and Lavi could clearly see rings of dark curly hair behind his back. The man eyed him coldly. Lavi nervously glanced back at the metallic table.

"Dissection," the curly bastard deadpanned. Screw this. Screw this all! He turned his face away from the grotesque view. Teach was clearly enjoying his disgust, that fucking bastard!!! He could hear his vengeful snicker, making him boil in hatred.

"Screw this. I have no coat or knifes, so let me outta here!!"

Kanda raised a brow. Then he hmped, cupping his chin.

"I think I have a spare lab coat and a dissection kit."

Screw him!! That sadistic maniac was going to make him cut a dead dude!? No freaking way!! Lavi gulped when Teach grabbed him by the forearm, dragging him out of the lab.

"Remember, dolt, you're not allowed to enter the lab without a lab coat."

The crossed the hall rapidly, and Lavi suddenly realized that he was a tiny bit taller than Teach. He smirked. _Little Yuu-chan._ That would piss the man off for sure. _Liiiiitlle Yuu-chan._

"Why are you snickering, idiot?" the man threw him an exasperated glance. Lavi shrugged.

"I'm taller than you, Yuu-chan."

Kanda spun around and grabbed him by the collar. A random student stopped and gaped at the professor. Lavi waved his palms in front of him.

"I'm a pacifist, Yuu-chan!"

"Shut up!!! I don't care if you're a pacifist! Hell, I would kill you even if you were Dalai Lama himself!! Quit calling me that! One more time and I'll—"

"Yuu-chan!" Lavi leaned closer, grinning.

"Shut UP!! Shut the hell UP!!!"

Kanda suddenly heard his own voice. The echo still rang in the air and he shuddered inwardly, realizing where he was. With a corner of his eyes he saw a student and her professor gawking at him. They were silent. He glanced at the person in front of him, the cause of all this madness. Lavi was mute. He was looking at him half serious while the corners of his mouth were tugging up in a spasmodic laughter.

Kanda was barely restraining himself from chocking the redhead. And Lavi noticed that. That loud bastard was quite sharp. He was smirking like a satisfied fox.

"Come," Kanda hissed sharply, pointing at _Dr. Yuu Kanda_ room.

"After you, Yuu-chan," Lavi whispered, suddenly too close to his ear. The man jumped two feet away.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Lavi feigned innocence. He raised his brows and shrugged. Tch. That immoral dog.

___

"There's your damn coat!"

Lavi caught a white packet. He gazed at the furious man in front of him. Ah, Teach was quite organized. His stare locked on the skull on a wide desk with a computer. It was chalky white. Lavi poked it with his middle finger.

"Stop touching that thing."

Lavi sneered.

"Is that your skull?"

Kanda threw a dirty look at him.

"Why the hell are you in my class?"

Ah, finally. Teach was not stupid.

"Is there a law that prohibits me from choosing a cla-"

"Is it about Walker?"

Lavi stopped grinning. Kanda eyed him with a bored face.

"Ah, seems like it."

Lavi watched him walk through the half dark room and open a closet. He started rumbling in it, cursing every time he found something he did not need.

"Let me tell you something, Lavi," his voice murmured indifferently, "don't stick your nose in things that do not concern you. Walker is not a person fit for my class."

Lavi formed a crooked smile, biting the insides of his cheeks to prevent himself from yelling.

"Really? How so? The last thing I checked you're not allowed to choose your students."

"Ah, there it is," Kanda mumbled, taking out a small box. He opened it and looked inside, scrutinizing the tools.

"There's your dissection kit for today. Buy yourself one, it's required." He put the box on the desk, clearly avoiding the man's face. "And the coat too, buy a few. Both at lessons and in lab you're required to wear one."

Lavi gritted his teeth.

"You're ignoring my question!"

Kanda stopped at the door and turned off the lights, leaving Lavi in total darkness. Opening the door he threw a glance over his shoulder.

"And cover your hair. Or cut it. You look like you deserted from Vietnam."

Lavi froze. He heard that before. Allen told him the same thing, in the café. Lavi's eyes widened.

"You heard us. You know Allen hates you. That's wh—"

"I do not care about people's opinion concerning me."

"Then why?!"

Kanda sighed.

"Try surviving two weeks in my class and work three jobs at the same time. Then you'll understand."

"Like hell I will!!"

Kanda chortled.

"You mean, you're _that_ stupid?"

Lavi raised his hand sticking the middle finger out. Kanda shrugged.

"Take your rings off," he enunciated, "and get your ass to the labs!"

And left.

"That bastard…"

Lavi put the borrowed coat on and glanced inside the box. Tweezers. Two of them. He took one of them out and pinched his brow.

"Hey, they're sharp! Oho! A scalpel too!!"

He gripped the scalpel and made a wide movement, cutting someone's imaginary guts. He even imitated the sound of the shredded victim, calling for help. Hell, this was amazing! He closed an eye and plunged the blade into the small sofa.

"Die…."

The sofa shuddered in convulsions and kicked the bucket.

Lavi was about to cut the shades when he sensed someone behind him. For some unknown reason he threw the scalpel in his pocket, turning around.

"You're Lavi, right? We're waiting for you. Why are you still here?"

Lavi smiled carefully. The curly guy mirrored his expression.

"My bad, my bad!"

The curly guy elegantly pointed out in the hallway.

"Well then, are you coming?"

Lavi grabbed the kit and nodded, following the curly bastard.

---------------

"What took you so long?!" the girl whispered, giving Lavi a jolt in the ribs. Lavi chuckled, throwing her a flirting glance.

"Why, did you miss me—"

"Bookman, stop whispering and start working!"

That damn Ice Man. Lavi cursed under his breath. Cloud Nyne's classes were not so tense. Hell, they were simply learning everything from books and transferring it on quiz papers! Besides, weren't dissections always at the end of the semester? Why were they doing it now, in the first half of it?

"Lavi, you shave the abdomen, I'll go with the chest," the curly ass murmured. Lavi winced. That ass was too close.

"The abdomen, huh?"

Lavi approached the metallic table on which the corpse lay, wrapped in cellophane. Lavi hesitantly stopped near the middle. He scrutinized the wrapped body, realizing that he was near a real, really real corpse. He felt his throat dry and sandy.

He saw bodies before, in the medical books, and in videos, and even in museums. But being in the very vicinity of an ex person made him shudder. He glanced around and his spirits sank even more. Every single of those students seemed to know what they were doing.

The girl grabbed one end of the cellophane and took it off. A strange smell burst out.

Lavi clasped his nose. He found himself staring at the corpse in front of him for quite some time. It was an old man. He just lay there, like a huge and abandoned doll. His eyes were closed and Lavi could see his nostrils, wide, with tiny blue veins. He was bald, with brown age spots on his face and scalp, and the flabby waves of skin under his chin were spilling on the wide and fat chest.

Lavi bit his lip. He suddenly remembered old Panda. The old fart had age spots too. And wrinkles. And he was almost bald, except for a stubborn strand of hair that refused to fall.

"Lavi, what the hell are you waiting? Start shaving, dammit, we ought to hurry!"

It was another student. Lavi smiled nervously. He glanced at the abdomen of the corpse. Just below the umbilicus the hair invaded the skin. It was powerless, white with age.

"Can't I go with the chest?" he heard himself saying. Someone laughed and responded, and Lavi couldn't turn his face away from the cadaver's groin. The hairs there were dirty white, dead. The skin was unnaturally pale, as if the man was frostbitten.

"Lavi, your hands are trembling! Is this really your first time cutting?"

Someone was speaking to him. He glanced left and saw Kanda pointing at the face, explaining something. Lavi saw his teeth. They were white, not chalky white like that cranium in his room, but white with life. And his skin wasn't pale. It was alive. Lavi glanced back at the corpse. Did it have a name?

He licked his lips. They were insanely dry and salty. He slowly grasped a Gillette razor blade someone gave him, and dragged it jerkily from the bellybutton to the penis base. The sound of the blades on that damp and loose skin screeched in his eardrums. He shuddered and his hand quivered sideways, leaving a cut with white margins.

"Lavi!! What the hell are you doing?!"

The curly guy grabbed his hand from behind took the razor. He started shaving it himself, with accurate and confident movements.

"If you can't do it, just say so," he murmured in Lavi's ear. The redhead nodded.

"Do you know what to do next?" the curly guy asked, watching him with a corner of his eye. Lavi nodded again.

"The Xiphoid process. Start cutting below the breastbone in central line, avoid the umbilicus and go into the groin area."

He curly guy stared at him amazed.

"You memorized it by heart? And you're saying you're new in this?!"

Lavi cringed.

"I have Photographic Memory."

The curly guy dropped his scalpel.

"You serious?!"

Lavi shrugged. He became very aware of the tense silence in the room. Every single student was watching him, their eyes wide and amazed. Only the corpse wasn't watching him. It looked ridiculous with his pubic hair missing.

He looked away and his eyes suddenly met the professor's. They were not amazed. Hell, he didn't even look interested. Kanda raised one brow.

"I believe you were dissecting. Continue to do so, and don't disrupt the process any further."

The students' eyes fell immediately on the corpse and they continued to work on it.

"My name's Tyki, Tyki Mikk," the curly one murmured and started slicing the corpse's skin. He held the corner of the gray epidermis sheets with the tweezers, pulling it gently outwards. The other hand was holding the scalpel, flashing it rapidly yet gingerly, departing the skin from the corpse.

Lavi stared at Tyki's gloved hands. The gloves were tight on him, and there seemed to be white powder inside, to prevent moisture. And the moisture certainly was present there. He could see the chalky powder rub into Tyki's dark skin, under the nails and the finger joints.

"Try doing it yourself," he said, pointing at Lavi's clean scalpel. The redhead nodded. He hesitantly touched the corpse. Tyki was watching him amused. Lavi frowned. He grabbed the skin in spite of himself, imitating Tyki's movements. He had seen him move he had seen his fingers crook with a certain amount of power. That was enough.

Tyki whistled.

"Lavi, are you sure this is your first time?!"

The other students peeped at him with curiosity. Lavi grinned. This wasn't so bad. Not bad at all.

"Your cut is too shallow, Lavi. Stop copying Tyki, his own skills are not good enough," Kanda's voice made him cringe. That bastard was here too? The hell! Couldn't he shut up for once and say something like "Oh! You're sooo good!!!" Like hell he would say that!

"Watch here, both of you," Kanda suddenly stepped between Lavi and Tyki. He started skinning the corpse and his movements were different from what Lavi had seen so far. They were light yet firm and he moved considerably faster.

"This is Camper's Fascia, the superior layer of fat," Kanda said and pocked the spawn-like matter, now exposed. It was bright yellow. "The membranous layer under it is Scarpa's Fascia," the professor continued, cutting into the yellow mass. He slowly lifted it and Lavi turned his eyes away.

"You'll get used to it, boy," Tyki smirked. Kanda frowned.

"Li, Bak, you two come here and remove the muscles."

The insipid girl and another student were already at it. Lavi looked at the floor. It was gray and clean. Only a few pink puddles were glittering statically. Lavi suddenly felt his knees shake. He could see the face of the cadaver, skin missing. It seemed that someone dissected it already. The meat was gray and dead and some fine fibers were tangled in it.

Lavi covered his mouth. He felt incredibly sick. Then he dropped his hand, realizing that he touched the dead guy with it. The squeezing feeling in his throat intensified, pumping the food he ate back.

"Lavi, you ok?" someone shouted and Lavi nodded. The guy was a fucking idiot. Couldn't he see?!

Lavi staggered to the door, trying to take off his gloves and unnecessarily remembering he times when he would do that with his teeth. The memory was painfully vivid. He grabbed the handle of some door and started pushing it savagely, urged by the acidic saliva in his mouth.

"Idiot, the bathroom's not there!"

Someone grabbed him by the torso, dragging him to another door. Lavi gulped spasmodically and closed his eyes. He was dragged somewhere by his professor. He saw the top of his black hair, and that thing tickled his face making him cringe and let some strands of saliva spill on his chin.

The hallway was deserted, or so Lavi thought. Kanda was dragging him silently with his head under Lavi's shoulder.

"I can't hold it anymore, Yuu-chan!"

"Hold it! I don't care how, just do it, bastard!" Kanda yelled and kicked a door. They stumbled inside and Kanda grabbed him by the neck, pushing Lavi's face in a toilet bowl.

"Now you can puke all you want," he hissed and pushed him even lower. Lavi's nose touched the seat. He pushed Kanda away and let his stomach loose. The toilet smell was even worse than the cadaver's innards. It forced his mouth open, making the jaws contract and throb painfully.

He heard the sound of the water and tried to lift his face, but the vomit came out again, forcing him to look into the toilet bowl, already filled with disgusting things.

" You idiot!! You puked on my suit and shoes! How the hell am I supposed to clean them?!"

Lavi staggered out of the cubicle, trying to stop the twitching of his face.

"I think that's hardly a problem, Yuu-chan. Just send them to the cleaners!"

Kanda gritted his teeth.

"Quit calling me that!!!"

Lavi laughed weakly and sat on the floor, ignoring the fact that it was the bathroom floor. He just had to sit down.

"Thanks," he murmured, looking at Kanda from below. "You really saved my ass there, Yuu-chan."

Kanda sighed and threw him a dirty look.

"Don't misunderstand, dolt. You'd disrupt everyone if I let you stay there. I told you, didn't I? That's a special class. Only very intelligent or talented people can survive it," he wiped his brow and looked at Lavi again.

"I hate to tell you that, but you certainly are talented."

Lavi eyed him, stunned.

"Yuu-chan, you—"

"Stop calling me by my first name!!!" Kanda yelled, grabbing Lavi by the collar.

Lavi grinned.

"There's vomit on your cheek, Yuu-chan!"

__________

Allen sorrowfully glanced at his sandwich. He could see the lettuce stuffed between the slices of bread. Then he threw a glance at the counter. It was almost eleven PM and he had just a half of an hour left. Deen's Dry Cleaners & Laundromat was a quiet place, with respectable customers. Mostly quiet Chinese residents were visiting this shop, attracted by its secluded location.

Strangely, it was the only workplace Allen really liked. It was quiet and unpretentious, and his boss was an understanding old man. He worked only six hours here, managing to do his homework when the customers were waiting for their laundry to be done.

He sighed and sat down, drawing something absolutely random on a newspaper. He hated to admit it, but Komui's class was surprisingly easy. Unlike in Kanda's, he understood most of the professor's lecture and was shocked to find out that they were still in the first half of the book. And the homework was about twice less. He managed to do it in a half of an hour, not skipping the bonus questions.

The bell rang again, announcing a visitor. Allen pushed the newspaper away and smiled at the person in front of him.

"What can I d-"

"I want this clean. In an hour," the customer hissed. Allen stared in front of him, perplexed.

"K-kanda? I-I mean professo—"

"Quit stuttering and tell me how much is it."

Allen glanced at the packet in his hands. He put the suit in a cellophane sack, sticking a tag to it.

"The cleaning of the suit is $9.75. And these are…vomit stains. That would be another ten dollars, sir."

Kanda silently dived into his pocket, taking the money out. Allen gave him the receipt.

"You could come tomorrow at ten to pick it up," he said quietly.

"Tomorrow? I told you I need it today!!" Kanda wrinkled the paper in his hands.

Allen bit his lip. He hated this kind of people.

"Then I suggest you wait here for two hours, sir."

Kanda frowned. He turned around and sat on a plastic chair, looking at his watch. Allen watched him, frowning. Why was he so afraid of this man before? He wasn't scary. Not at all. Kanda suddenly turned to him, catching his eyes.

"Is here a restaurant nearby? Or a café?" he asked impatiently. Allen smiled, pointing right across the street.

"A restaurant is right there, sir. Just cross the street and you'll see it. It closes at two in the morning so you can wait there if you want."

"Tch," he turned away, pacing out the door. Allen sighed and took off his uniform coat.

"Fou! Fou, are you there? I have to go, so take care of that black suit! The customer will come for it today!"

A hysterical yell answered him, cursing the customer. Allen smiled tiredly. He grabbed the sandwich and nibbled at it, closing the glass doors of the shop. It was cold outside, and he saw his breath coming out like white fire.

"Wait! Why the hell are you closing it?! I still have to get the suit!"

Allen jumped up. Kanda was staring at him with irate flickering in his eyes. He was wearing only a black shirt, and Allen realized that he left his coat in the café.

"Ah. It's you," the boy murmured, grasping his heart. "Warn me before you do this again, will you?"

"Tch. Why are you closing the doors for?" Kanda mumbled, putting his hands in pockets.

"I finished my shift, so I have to close the doors. Fou will give you the suit; just knock at the back door!"

Kanda lifted his brow.

"Is that your food?"

Allen followed his finger and stared at the sandwich.

"Ah, this. Yeah, I was planning to eat it," he stared curiously at Kanda. "Do you want it?"

"Hell no!!" The man seemed to be furious for some reason. He pointed at the café behind him. "Want to go there to eat? You look like a starving ghost."

Allen blinked.

"Me? Eat there? With you?"

Kanda snorted.

"You really are dense. There's no way that sandwich is going to fill you."

Allen's confused blinking grew into a cold glare.

"I don't need pity from you, or anyone else."

Kanda looked at him with mocking eyes.

"I wouldn't waste my pity on you. Besides, I don't have pity for idiots."

Allen threw him a dirty look and silently paced away. He had enough insults for a day.

"Hey, where the hell are you going?!"

Kanda grabbed him by the elbow, spinning him 180 degrees. He stared into the boy's face, a bit disturbed by the steely glint in the gray eyes.

"Stop it, sir. You're not my professor anymore."

Kanda smirked letting him go.

"Exactly. Now you can hate me openly," he said, jabbing Allen in the forehead. The boy grabbed his hand and hatefully twisted the finger backward, trying to wipe the mocking smirk on Kanda's physiognomy. "Besides, I have two hours to kill," the man said, grabbing the boy's hands and dragging him across the street. A car zoomed by and Kanda cursed the driver.

----

"Sit down and stop glaring. You look like a pissed off cat."

Allen tightened his jaws. Kanda leaned back I the chair. He looked bored and relaxed.

"How were Komui's classes?" He asked, looking out the huge glass window they sat next to. Allen's shoulders fell. He bit his lip.

"They're much easier that yours," he muttered staring at the table. Kanda's smirk disappeared and he simply looked at the boy with clear eyes.

"And the material is not as stuffed as yours," Allen continued, "it just makes sense, you know?"

Kanda nodded.

"Those are regular classes. I have no idea how you got into mine."

"Regular? Wait, you mean they're mainstream?!"

Kanda nodded again, lips tugging into an amused smile. Allen stared at him, mouth agape.

"You mean your classes are not mainstream?!"

Kanda scowled.

"Aren't you reading the course description when you sign up?! Didn't you see the A before the course number?!"

Allen pocked his lip.

"Well, yeah. A for anatomy, right?"

Kanda stared at him in disbelief.

"You are a total and incurable idiot. A before ANAT. means Advanced."

"Oh," the boy whispered and turned red. Even the tips of his ears and his neck were crimson.

"Tch. Forget it. Just order your damn food," Kanda quietly grumbled, pushing the menu at him. "And don't worry about the prices," he said, watching as the boy took out his wallet, "I'll pay tonight."

__________________

Thank you Chimera Ally for providing me with info about dissection! Those pics were disgustingly wonderfull! (Even though I still can't eat.)


	4. Hell 4

**You guys never cease to amaze me. Your reviews are awesome!!! I love them and hope to hear more from you!!!**

**Author's note:** The ages. Kanda's way too young to be a surgeon. I stretched his age to twenty six currently. That makes him seven years older than Allen. (In my mind) that's ok.

And Allen's way too young to be a medical student (who was on a waiting list, etc.) See? So, Don't, please don't stone me. Even though I try to keep things pretty realistic, (Procedures, facts, common knowledge) there is just no way around this, since the majority of Medical Doctors are about thirty five-forty or so… (I hope I got the numbers right, Chimera Ally!)

**

* * *

  
**

**Facies**

Allen bit savagely into the doughnut, chewing it in hurry. The café was almost empty, and Allen had the feeling that he was the cause of the disturbing stares the waiter was throwing at him.

"Slow down, dolt, you'll swallow your own fingers!"

Allen chocked. He covered his mouth and started coughing. Kanda rolled his eyes.

"Told you."

The boy stared at him with annoyance, trying to cough out the bits of food from his trachea. Kanda cocked a brow and sipped the green tea in front of him.

"Really, do you always rush at everything? It's not like the food will run away, you know."

The boy frowned and swallowed the rest of the doughnut.

"I don't rush," he mumbled, brushing the back of his hand against the mouth. "It's my normal speed."

Kanda eyed him smirking. The boy grew uneasy under his gaze.

"What?" he mumbled, confused.

Kanda placed his chin in his palm, propping the elbow into the slightly dirty table. Allen flustered.

"Why are you staring at me?" he raised his voice, exasperated by Kanda's silent and scrutinizing eyes. The man looked at the dark window, mutely gazing at nothing.

"Professor?"

"Call me Kanda. I'm not your professor anymore, idiot." The man murmured, still looking at the window. Allen stared at the window too, curiously eyeing the glass.

"Why are you studying medicine, brat?"

Allen looked away from the window and poked a crumb. He moved his lips, hesitantly dragging the time.

"Well?"

"It's a long story. And it's the middle of the night." Allen stood up and touched his coat, ready to leave. "And I have to work tomorrow."

Kanda cocked his brows, grinning sarcastically.

"And the most amazing thing is that you just remembered it."

The tip of the boy's ears reddened. His hand gripped the coat tighter.

"I-It's not like that. I really have to go."

"Then go," the man suddenly said, glaring at him with heavy eyes. "Go," he repeated, crossing his arms. The boy nodded and made a few paces toward the exit. Then he stopped. He turned around and plopped into the chair. He stared at the man with determination.

"If I tell you, promise me you won't laugh. Or I'll leave."

Kanda snorted.

"You act like a five year old brat. Deal," he grinned and leaned back, looking relaxed. Allen tightened his lips.

"My father was sick with prostate cancer," he said with an even, almost indifferent voice. "He died when I was ten." He paused to look at Kanda.

"So you want to save humanity from cancer?" The man snorted.

"I'm leaving," Allen deadpanned and got up. Kanda grabbed his hand and pushed him back into the chair.

"Tch. Sensitive bastard."

"I'm not a bastard!!" Allen hissed, glaring at the man with fury.

"Tch. Whatever," Kanda dismissed his words with a shrug. The teen frowned and looked away. He felt the man's eyes on his face and that made him uncomfortable and self-conscious. He slowly raised his palm and propped his cheek on it, trying to make the action look natural.

"Well? Are you going to continue?" Kanda's voice hit his ears again. But it wasn't mocking or smirking anymore. The boy shifted his eyes from the table to his sick arm.

"Well, since I always wanted to help people somehow, I figured I could study cancers," he finished lamely, trying to get away from the "save humanity from cancer" idea.

"Ah, the hero complex," the man muttered, making a bored face.

"The what?"

"The hero complex," Kanda said louder, playing with his cup. "Fools who believe they can save everything and everyone. Usually they do not end well."

Allen gritted his teeth.

"You know what? You have no right to criticize my dreams or beliefs. I don't even understand why I am here," he uttered coldly, getting up. "Not everyone is like you, Kanda! No everything is controlled by logic! And thank God for that, or else the world would go crazy," he sneered and turned away to leave.

"Yeah. Thank God for that," Allen heard Kanda whisper. The boy turned around, watching the man with curious eyes. Kanda frowned, looking at the table.

"Saving everyone is impossible. Believe me, I know more about it that than I want to." He stood up arching backwards to make the spine move a bit. He took out his wallet and started digging in it, pulling out two twenties. He threw the money on the table and paced toward the exit.

Allen silently followed him, not even realizing his own actions. Kanda crossed the street and disappeared in the Cleaners' shop. The boy watched him go, shivering for a second when the frozen snow started falling down in gray and cold lumps.

He lifted the collar of his coat. The wind picked up, blowing some frozen sand directly in his eye. He shuddered when his postman bag painfully jabbed his thigh and paced rapidly, closing his eyes when the wind hit him in the face.

"What was the name of your father?"

Allen jolted and looked up. Kanda was pacing next to him. A heavy black scarf was covering the lower part of his face. He was holding a black packet under his arm.

"Kanda, why are you here?" the boy suspiciously inquired, stopping in his track. Kanda shrugged.

"I don't remember where I parked my car."

"Do you seriously think I'll believe that?" Allen enunciated coldly. Kanda threw him an indifferent glance.

"Whatever."

"What do you mean, whatever?!"

Kanda simply walked past him in the frozen street. The boy scowled and followed the man, shielded from the wind by the tall figure.

"Well?"

Allen looked up.

"Well what?"

"About your father."

"Mana died," the boy snapped, "What else do you want to know? His birthday?"

Kanda smirked in the scarf. The wind hit him in the face making his hair animated for a second. The boy shuddered and hastened his pace.

"Look," Kanda stopped and pointed up. Allen lifted his face. A huge moon stared dustily at both of them, unsure whether to pay attention or just keep revolving around its orbit.

"It looks like the moon from vampire movies," Allen giggled, pulling his head in the shoulders very turtle-like. Kanda glanced at him, amused. In the eerie light, the boy's head shone in the same dusty way, imitating the moon.

"Why aren't you wearing a hat?" Kanda inquired, nudging the boy with an elbow to distract his gaze from the sky.

"Why aren't you wearing one?" Allen frowned, pointing sharply at his ear.

"I don't need one. I have a car, you know."

Allen smirked sarcastically.

"And that explains perfectly why you are walking here, in the middle of the night, fifteen miles from your apartment."

"That laundry shop of yours doesn't have enough parking spaces, idiot." Kanda suddenly stopped and brought the fingers to his mouth, blowing on them. "I know I left it somewhere around here…"

"Here," the boy murmured, holding a pair of brown mittens. Kanda stared at him in disbelief.

"What the hell is that? It looks like a dead mouse."

Allen reddened and hid the mittens in his pocket. "Jerk."

Kanda smirked and extended his palm. "Give them here."

The boy bit his lip. "No way. Go freeze to death and die, all I care."

Kanda cocked his head. "Thanks. And you said you wanted to save people. Hypocrite."

Allen grabbed him by the scarf, hissing in his face.

"Don't you dare make fu—"

"No need. I see my car. Do you want a ride?"

Allen let him go and turned away. "No thanks. My house is three feet away."

He reluctantly waved good bye, walking toward a group of houses bundled together like mushrooms. Kanda watched his go away. He sat in his car, un-muffling his face. He could see the boy's silhouette through the glass, humping a bit. Probably because of the cold.

____

Old Panda knew everything. And when Lavi said everything, he meant everything. That old fart was a walking encyclopedia, containing even the unprinted volumes.

"Hey old man," Lavi eyed his green salad and pocked the lettuce, "Do you know Kanda, Kanda Yuu?"

The old fart swallowed the beefsteak bit stuck on his fork.

"Kanda?" he mumbled, forking another piece of meat. "Kanda… That little bastard was a bother and a pain in the ass." Bookman senior eyed Lavi quizzically. "Why aren't you eating the meat?"

Lavi stopped chewing. He stared in front of him.

"I don't think I'll be able to eat it anymore."

The panda cackled.

"What's so fucking funny?! I couldn't eat two days in row! Two fucking days!!!"

The old man smirked, wiping his lips with a napkin. "Lavi, my boy," he said, closing his pale with age eyes. "Wait till you operate on live meat."

"Yeah, right," Lavi mumbled, pushing the lettuce aside. He turned at the old man expectantly.

"What do you know about Yuu Kanda?"

"Kanda, huh. He was a fine surgeon," Bookman started, "very idealistic. And self-confident." Lavi nodded, impatiently jiggling in his chair.

"A genius, that boy. He had a golden touch." Bookman sipped his tea, ignoring the foot tapping Lavi was demonstrating.

"Well, why the hell did he become a teacher?! Golden touch, genius, fine doc, why did he become a Teach if he was so good?" Lavi finally yelled, unable to cope with the intentioned slowness of his old man.

"Patience, Lavi my boy."

Lavi sulkily let his chin meet the table.

"Patience my ass. I wanna know!"

"I told you he was an idealist. That little—"

"Little? How little?" Lavi ducked from a spoon thrown at him.

"He was twenty five or so. He screwed up a surgery he was very sure would be easy to do."

Lavi stared at him with wide eyes.

"No way. That conceited prick is too good for that," Lavi wave his hand, dismissing the very credibility of the information.

"I'm sure he is now," the old man sipped his tea, tapping the cup with the nails. "But back then… he was easily angered and provoked."

"That didn't change," Lavi whispered, sticking his tongue out. And grabbed his head, groaning in pain. That freaking old Panda!

"Don't interrupt me, idiot!!"

"Stop hitting me, Old Fart! I'm not twelve anymore!!!"

"Mentally you're three," the Panda cut his whine. "Why do you want to know about Kanda Yuu, anyway?"

Lavi grinned sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Well, I kinda…am in his classes now."

The panda stared at him with his washed out eyes. "So you're in his classes now and want to know more about him." He shrugged and pretended to talk with himself: "Here comes the idiot."

"I'm not an idiot, Old Panda! I can choose whatev—"

The old man stood up and eyed his son with severity.

"Lavi, if you play around with him as you did with the majority of your female professors, I won't forgive you. Tiedoll was a good friend of mine, and his son is a good man. Don't even dare to fool around with him."

"What the hell…" Lavi started, but rapidly closed his mouth. That's right, the old man had no idea what happened to Allen. "That pretty bastard threatened my friend. I'll do whatever it takes to make him pay." The redhead glared at his father. He brought his arms behind his head and leaned on the chair.

"You said that guy is overconfident, right? Just think about how he'll live if I crush that confidence of his. A scandal, perhaps…" He smirked, seeing his father's face. "Nah, I won't make him quit," he smiled, his eyes closed. "I'll just make him suffer invisibly, like internal bleeding."

The old man stared at him bitterly. He coughed in his fist and looked at Lavi again.

"I'm afraid you'll be the one suffering, idiot," he murmured, watching the tall figure of his son flexing his arms. He was a beautiful boy. And smart too. The result? An overconfident young man with advanced flirting abilities. Bookman sighed. Just like him in his young days.

__

It was evening already when Lavi decided drop by Allen's apartment. He knew the boy's schedule quite well. The little guy was always home between six and seven, preparing for the next job. Lavi grinned. Allen cooked too. Heh! He was nineteen, single, and lived by himself, providing for his own life. In other words, complete freedom!

Lavi stopped in front of the apartment, grinning smugly. A strange smell, a hybrid between coffee and fried tomatoes was coming out under the door. He bent and found the key under the mat. It was always there for unfortunate times when Allen lost his keys or—

"Hey babe!"

Lavi threw his bag and shoes unceremoniously on the floor. The apartment was small and pale yellow of time. The man bit his lip, trying to get out of his coat. Damn the idiot who invented fashion! He craned his neck tugging the orange scarf.

"Allen? You there, little guy?"

He heard some hollering from the kitchen. The door opened swiftly, letting out a cloud of smells and miasmas. Meat. He was frying meat with garlic and lemon. Lavi swallowed the saliva that kept flooding his mouth. That little guy surely knew how to cook. The man opened the kitchen door, glancing inside. The appetizing smell hit him in the face, making his insides gnaw in hunger.

"Alle—WHOA!! Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!" Lavi clasped his eyes and hit the wall with his back. Allen stared at him with irritation.

"Lavi? What the heck? Don't you have classes?"

Lavi peeped through the gap between the fingers. Allen was standing there in his briefs and a large black shirt, still unbuttoned.

"Whoa! Old buddy, old pal, old friend!! You sure have a cute ass!"

Allen grabbed the ladle.

"Would you shut up? Cooking and dressing at the same time is quite difficult!" he pulled a sock up, dropping the ladle. Lavi blinked. Whoa. White legs, pretty long too.

"Quit staring! Haven't you seen people dressing before?!" Allen yelled, pulling the second sock up and managing to make a threatening face.

"But!! You look like a skinny girl! With a hot ass! Too bad you don't have any boobs, but—OW!!! Hey, that hurt!!"

"It's supposed to hurt, perv!"

Allen sighed and proceeded to button his shirt. His pants were still wet. Stupid red sauce. Lavi grinned and snatched his tie.

"Whoa! What do we have _here_? A _tie_? Our babe's wearing a _tie_? How kinky!!"

"Lavi! That's gross! And give it back!!" the boy yelled, not caring about the neighbors. Then he gasped grabbing a fork and trying to turn over the pieces of meat.

Heh! The shirt was too big for him. Lavi sat on the floor, stroking the tie. Way too big. But somehow it suited him. Strange. It made him look so much younger and vulnerable than he really was. Just like a fourteen year old. Lavi chuckled and threw the tie on a chair.

"So, why are you dressing up?"

Allen pulled up the pants, stuffing the shirt inside. He paused to search for the tie.

"Ugh… I found an oncology clinic nearby. I want to work there part time, so… how the heck do I twist this?" he mumbled, taking off his tie and trying to unknot it.

"You wanna take another job?! Where do you find the freaking time to do everything?!"

"Lavi, for God's sake, sit on some chair, not on the floor!" Allen cut his words, finally able to twist the tie in the right direction. "And it's not decided yet. I am just going to ask for an interview and more info on this."

Allen stroked his hair, attempting to comb it with the fingers. Lavi slowly extended his arm with a thumb up.

"What?" the boy stared, unable to tie the gesture to anything. As a response, Lavi showed him the second thumb. Allen scowled.

"What?!"

"You look dazzling, dude."

The dazzling dude cocked one brow.

"Yeah right. I'll give you some chow anyway, so your shady compliments are wasted," he sighed and pointed at the row of clean plates. Lavi jumped up and pinched his cheek.

"You sure are sharp, muchacho!" He grinned and pinched him again. The boy's pale skin reddened and he pushed Lavi away.

"Don't call me muchacho!! I'm nineteen!"

"And four feet nine," Lavi swallowed a piece of meat, "This is fucking good! I couldn't eat meat, but again, this doesn't look like meat! What the fuck did you do with it?!"

Allen frowned. His nose wrinkled, giving him a reproachful look.

"Don't swear so much, Lavi. It's really—"

"Right, right! Real men don't swear in front of Ladies!"

"I'm not a lady!! Stop provoking me, or else!!"

Lavi snickered, hiding behind a chair and stealing pieces of meat from the frying pan.

"Or what? Man, this thing is good!" he laughed, taking another bite and licking his fingers. Allen cringed.

"Just put it into a plate or something. AH! Don't stick your fingers there! I eat it too, you know!!"

Lavi threw him a foxy glance and started licking his fingers slowly. The boy looked at him with disdain.

"You're incorrigible, Lavi." He paced into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Still licking his fingers, Lavi approached the window and looked down. Fifth floor. Heh, that wasn't so high. Ah, Allen came out. He was running, and the green puffy winter jacket was dangling on him, like a sack. Man, he was cute.

Lavi paused, unconsciously holding one finger in his mouth. Why would Kanda ever throw Allen out of his class? He didn't even know the boy that well. Fuck, he didn't know him at all. And yet, it made sense. Allen was trying too hard. Too freaking hard. He'd wear himself out before he reached thirty.

Lavi sat on the floor, looking at his fingers. One, two, three rings on his left hand. Four on his right. He stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes, trying to see the piercing. He liked the feeling of metal in his mouth. He licked his lips, scraping the tender surface.

Crap. He needed a girlfriend.

________

When he woke up the apartment was pitch black. And his backbone was stiff, as if it belonged to a museum creature. Lavi groaned and tried to stand up, not feeling his ass. His phosphorescent watch yelled two AM with green ciphers. Gah. The old panda was probably guessing where he was.

He leaned on the table trying to stand up. His legs were asleep and now pricked him with thousands of needles, sending electricity to his somnolent brain. He heard the front door creak and the smells of cigarettes from the hallway enter. Lavi stumbled in the dark, hitting his thigh with the corner of the table.

"Allen? 's that you? How did the interv—"

The lights turned on and Lavi stared at the boy with horror.

"What the fuck happened?!"

Allen slowly sat down. Blood trickled down his face, plopping on the lap. He laughed weakly covering his eye.

"Hit-and-run," he whispered, smearing the blood on his face. "Nothing serious."

Lavi mutely tugged the boy's hand away from his face. He could clearly see the large cut that slithered down his face.

"Don't touch it, Ok? I'll bring you to the hospital!"

Allen smiled sorrowfully and nodded. That simple action made Lavi shudder. He was hideous in all that blood and that smile. Lavi disappeared for a few moments in the boy's bedroom. He came out with a white bed sheet which he wrapped around Allen's face.

He half lifted him and slowly walked in the dirty hallway. Allen murmured something, his voice obscured by the wrapped cloth. Lavi glanced down and made a mental note to wipe the blood on the floor. Some of the doors were open and the cussing with the smell of burned bacon made Lavi's head spin. Five floors, five fucking floors and he'll be able to reach his car.

Allen groaned again. Lavi stopped, propping him against the car's side.

"Just a few more seconds bear with me here," he whispered, trying to control his trembling voice and hands. The keys were blurry and Lavi shook them, trying to clear the image in his head.

"Just a few seconds, Allen, just a few!"

He finally opened the car and wiped his eyes. Those fucking things were wet. Allen whimpered and tugged Lavi's sleeve.

"Dun cry, I'b ok," He attempted to smile but groaned and clasped his face. The cut opened his cheek.

"Fuck! Fuck it all!!" Lavi screamed, hitting the steering wheel. "What kind of fucking idiot would do that?!" He bit his lip hard, trying to contain his anger and tears. He floored the pedal, making Allen bend backward. The car screeched and swiped the road.

Lavi knew where the hospital was. Hell, he even knew the closest route to it. But now everything made no sense. He was panicking and that made him stupid. He stopped twice to confirm that they were going in the right direction. And when he finally saw the huge building with glass doors Lavi almost bumped into someone's parked truck.

"Just sit here, ok? I'll call someone with the stretcher." He closed the door and Allen felt the car shudder. The boy slowly opened one eye, looking at the window. Lavi was running fast and his top uncovered his back. Why didn't he put his coat on? He winced. His cheek was stinging as if he just boiled it. Really, he shouldn't have walked in the middle of the street, no matter how empty it seemed.

When he opened his eyes he saw Lavi yelling at someone painfully familiar. Then some people with white masks were lurking over him, murmuring like flies. They were unwrapping his head with rubberlike fingers, stopping to yell at each other and touch him again. He just wanted to sleep.

"Go away," he tried to wave his hand and slap the flies off, but they kept gnawing his cheek with their small prickly paws, making it sting.

"Go away," he whispered and closed his eyes, denying the cold that crept on his face. Tomorrow everything will be much better. Yeah, it will be.

It had to be.

_____________________

**Again, I thank you, Chimera Ally for beta-ing the chapter!!**

P.S. Those who are reading Tales of the Roadkill, please visit my profile for the info I posted on this fic. I really need your help here.


	5. Hell 5

**You guys made my day. 101 reviews for four chapters? You are awesome!!! I love you!!! Man, it's so worth it to write for you!!!**

**Vieo**

"Sit on the bench. You're dirtying the floor."

Lavi grated his teeth and pulled the knees closer to his face. He was sitting between two vending machines, the only place that was not illuminated by that sickly hospital light.

"Why the hell are _you_ here?" he hatefully hissed, glaring up at the man in front of him. Kanda pressed the Coke button on the machine. The rumbling of a metallic can filled the empty hall.

"I work here on Wednesdays," the man calmly opened the can, breaking the fragile opener and throwing it into the trash can. Lavi glanced at his hands, sourly sticking his lower lip.

"Come to think of it, you don't have classes on Wednesday," the redhead murmured, biting his thumb.

Kanda didn't respond. He sat on the bench folding his legs. He looked at the redhead, curled into a ball between the humming machines. Tch. What a bad taste in clothing. Even though it was December, one of Lavi's shoulders was exposed thanks to his strident orange sweater with a ridiculously wide neck hole.

"And why are you here? I hope it's not a HIV test," Kanda deadpanned, staring at the Diet Coke ingredient list.

Lavi smirked. "I'm careful who I screw, Teach."

"Oh, are you? You look pretty careless to me," Kanda mused, eyeing him scornfully.

"Are you saying I'm slut?" the redhead spat with sudden hostility.

"Whatever," the man shrugged indifferently and put the empty can on the bench next to him.

"Don't whatever me, bastard!" Lavi growled, glaring at him through the bangs. "You are a real fucking pain in my ass, you know that?"

Kanda closed his eyes and leaned on the wall. "In your ass, huh? Sorry, I do it only with women."

Lavi chocked and jumped up, shaking his fist. "That's not what I meant!!! Don't twist my words like th—"

"Be quiet, you're in a hospital," Kanda calmly interrupted, sipping the last drops of his beverage. To his amazement Lavi obeyed and sat on the floor, relaxing his legs. It wasn't like him. It wasn't like him to be so down. But hey, it was quiet, and that's all Kanda wanted. He had twenty more minutes of break, and this silence was a good opportunity to relax. He let the tension from his shoulders disappear by stretching his arms.

"Allen was hit." Lavi suddenly said, burying his face in the knees. Kanda stared at him, not sure if that was a joke.

"He was hit by some fucking bastard's car. His face is totaled," he croaked, apprehending Kanda's reaction. His naked shoulder was slightly trembling, as if the man was desperately trying to push the emotion back, wherever it came from.

"What?" Kanda whispered, not able to comprehend the situation. Lavi's shoulder jerked and the redhead clutched his head.

"I've been waiting for four hours. They still are… screening and patching him up." Lavi's face cringed. He wrinkled his nose and sniffed. Kanda stared at him mutely, his head full of a white blankness. He was empty, just like the can that lay on the bench.

"What are you saying?" he heard himself whisper. Automatically, his body started moving toward Lavi, desperate for some answers. The redhead curled painfully, pulling his head between the knees, as if he had air sickness.

"Where is Walker?"Kanda hissed, grabbing Lavi by the shoulders and forcing him to look up. He stiffed when he redhead painfully gripped his wrists, glancing up. His eyes were raw, his lips wet and trembling.

"They to-took hi-him away, they said it's gonna be OK…" He clutched Kanda's wrists even tighter. "He is gonna be ok, right?" he sobbed, looking at the man pleadingly. "They didn't lie, right?"

Kanda eyed him blankly.

"You said you were here for four hours," he stood up, drawing a hand through his loose hair. "He has to be in the emergency room."

Lavi mumbled weakly. He stood up, sniffling and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He looked helpless and lost.

"Come," Kanda spat, digging his fingers into the naked shoulder. Lavi winced but followed, almost running after Kanda.

"He's gonna be ok, right?" Kanda heard him murmuring and a sudden wave of annoyance and almost hatred swept him. The man cursed and walked even faster, making Lavi stumble.

"Hasten, idiot! Tch." Kanda murmured, stopping at the entrance of another hallway. A group of medical staff were moving a hospital bed, some of them removing their rubber gloves and cotton masks.

Lavi savagely pushed Kanda aside, running toward the bed. The chains on his jeans jingled, creating a strange, desperate sound.

_______

"Hey, little buddy," Lavi bent over the white sheets, wincing at the sight of his bandaged friend. Kanda stood behind him with an aloof and indifferent look on his face. They were the only people in the small, white room.

"Hey, little man," Lavi repeated with the most cheerful voice he could squeeze out. The bandaged boy blinked with one eye.

"Lavi? 's that you?" he mumbled with difficulty, lifting one corner of the mouth. His half anaesthetized face cringed into a smile.

"Allen! Welcome back!" Lavi yelled, grabbing the pale wrists and shaking them with fierce happiness. He grinned and touched Allen's undamaged cheek. Allen tried to smile with half a face.

"Did you see the black tunnel? Good thing you stood away from the light at the end of it—"

"Lavi!"

"Ok, Ok, I'm just glad you didn't die," the redhead murmured, covering his eyes in a tired manner.

"Die? I just hurt my face! How can one die from it?" the pale boy laughed tensely, unable to feel his face. Lavi laughed falsely, looking away. Kanda paced to the bed, frowning.

"Do you know how many stitches they put?"

Allen blinked. He opened his mouth then closed it, turning away.

"Wh-why are you here?" he softly inquired, looking at the window. Lavi stared at the boy, confused by his reaction. Was there something he didn't see?

"This is a _teaching_ hospital, you know. I work here," Kanda answered with no hesitation. He stared at the window too, making Lavi feel very out of place.

"Thanks," Allen almost sighed, drawing the white blanket higher to his chin. His hair was gray, tired, and dusty.

"For what?" the short response sounded softer this time. Kanda took a hand out of the pocket and hesitantly touched the steely margin of the hospital bed.

"For coming," Allen murmured, barely making himself audible. He pulled the blanket even higher and buried his face in it. Kanda chuckled inwardly and turned away, pacing softly to the door.

"Idiot. I'm already leaving." The door silently clanked, letting the man out. Lavi clearly heard a giggle under the blanket.

"Allen, my pall? I need to leave for three seconds," he pranced to the door and jumped out, but not before he poked his fiery head through the door and whispered:

"Don't you dare count the seconds, smarty-pants!"

--

* * *

"What was that, Yuu?"

Kanda chocked on his newly bought drink.

"What the hell are you calling me?"

Lavi leaned on the wall and stared accusatively at Kanda, crossing his arms. Kanda threw him a menacing frown. He tossed the half full can into the bin and cringed, hearing the liquid spilling out.

"You know what I'm talking about, Yuu," Lavi pressed, scowling. "What the fuck did you do to Allen?"

Kanda twitched at the name. He looked at Lavi with badly hidden annoyance. The redhead stared back, not intimidated by the heavy glare.

"He hates you. I know he hates you. He would rather drink some fucking vodka than thank you," Lavi spat the words with big, venomous chunks. "And he hates vodka, if you didn't catch the allusion."

Kanda continued to watch him silently. He appeared to be almost indifferent of the mater. Lavi grew more irritated by the second. Kanda could clearly feel the violent annoyance and hatred in his eyes.

"Say something, you fucking bastard!" the redhead yelled suddenly, creating a rasp echo in the hallway. Kanda narrowed his eyes. He hated dealing with kids. They were immature and shallow.

"Go home. It's already seven in the morning," he coldly enunciated, turning away.

"Don't fuck with me, you fucking asshole!"

"Hold your tongue, boy," Kanda icily replied, stopping in his track. He heard Lavi sneer and pace to him carefully, shifting his weight from one leg to another, very catlike.

"Hold your tongue, boy, huh?" Lavi squinted and fisted his palm. "I'm not a fucking 'boy', you bitch!"

"You should hear yourself sometimes," Kanda deadpanned, eyeing him with disgust. "I don't understand why Walker is associating with the likes of you."

Lavi almost barked. He grabbed the man by the wrist, trying to twist it painfully. "Likes of me, ha?" He laughed darkly, "Walker, ha?" He aggressively grabbed the man by the collar, pulling him closer to his face. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Queen of England?"

Kanda eyed him coldly. "Let me go."

"Or you'll what?" Lavi grinned and pulled him closer, whispering in his ear. He suddenly became aware of the other man's faint bitter smell.

The next second he was in the wall, hearing a nasty snap in the back of his head. Kanda was in front of him, glaring. He watched him haughtily him from above, shaking his hand as if it was wet or dirty.

"Or you'll end up with a dislocated jaw."

Lavi shakily grasped the corner of the nearby bench. His head was filled with a sharp buzzing sound, like it was full of freaking wasps. At the same time he slowly noticed the slight trembling of his knees and hands. He grinned. That strange fulfilling ecstasy from a fight came back, rushing to his head.

Standing up and wiping his mouth made him suddenly awake. He could even hear the buzzing of the electric lamps that spat yellow on the top of Kanda's head, illuminating the impossibly black hair, giving it almost a bluish hue. Hell, Teach was freaking awesome. He didn't look all icy or _kingy_ anymore. Lavi snickered, earning a threatening glance from the man.

"God, Yuu-chan," he sighed, calming a bit. "You have pretty fingers," and he pointed at the clenched fist. Kanda frowned, managing to look serious in this insane situation. Lavi formed an impish grin, finding Kanda's confused face impossibly hilarious.

"What are you talking about?"

Lavi wiped his eyes, smirking happily. He stood up and put his hands in the jeans' back pockets.

"Nice punch, Yuu-chan. Nice punch." He grinned again and paced toward Allen's room, waving good-bye. "But still, it's not enough to dislocate my jaw," he added and Kanda could have sworn he sounded smug.

The man simply stared at the departing figure. Lavi walked lightly, skipping sometimes and swinging his arms, making the neck hole shift again to reveal his second shoulder. He saw Lavi stop, jerk the door aside and yell "My fair Lady!!" earning a protesting shout from the sick boy. Laughing, he hopped into the room in a very bouncy, rabbit-like manner. The door swung shut, muting the laughter inside.

Tch. That brat always pulled something unexpected.

* * *

"So, little gu—"

"I am not little!"

"Ok, ok. So, petite guy—"

"Lavi!"

Lavi jokingly puffed his cheeks. Allen's scowl disappeared.

"They'll let me go home in a few hours. They said I was lucky. I just have a few scratches and bumps."

"Then you're lucky, little guy. But still, your face, man…"

Allen nodded and touched carefully his half bandaged head.

"I guess I'll have to grow my hair longer over this part," he murmured, tugging his white locks. Lavi smirked and ruffled Allen's hair. He was squatting on the floor, propping his chin on Allen's bed. Closing his eyes, he ceased moving the fingers, simply leaving the hand on the boy's fluffy top.

"God, you're so small," he smiled sentimentally, patting him gently. Allen weakly protested, trying to push the hand off of his head.

"Lavi, I would greatly appreciate if you stopped touching me like that. I'm not a child, you know!"

Lavi blinked then dropped his hands. He looked sideways, still not removing his chin from the bed's margin.

"But! You just came back from that…Lala land, and I have to welcome you back!!" He smirked, staring softly at the scowling boy. "So, whadda ya say if we go and get wasted when they release you?"

Allen's scowl darkened. He looked at Lavi almost accusatorily.

"You know I cannot drink, Lavi. Why are yo—"

"But it's fun! Ok, Ok, you get high just from its smell, but hey! I'll carry you out!"

"Your mind is in the gutter," Allen twitched, noticing that the anesthesia is slowly slipping away from his system.

"Aw, come on! You're a man, aren't you?" Lavi insisted, pleadingly clapping his hands above the head. Allen groaned, clasping his face.

"It hurts… oh god…"

He curled into a ball, trying to suppress the jolts of pain. The left part of the face was pulsing with hot waves, as if someone poured acid on his skin. He sensed Lavi stand up and rumble though the hall, calling for a nurse. He bit his lip, trying not to cry. If he did, the salty water would sting his cheek even more.

"Hey, kiddo!" Allen felt a hand on his back. It was gently pushing him up, not listening to his mute protests. He turned up and cringed, feeling his mask of calmness slipping away, giving place to a painful and cringed scowl.

"Whoa! Don't cry, little one! Your mommy's here!"

Lavi's eyes were close to his face. They were impossibly green and alive. His face had this… golden color that made him glow in a very warm and comforting way. Allen slowly let his bitten lip go, surrendering to the hot tides of sobs muffled inside.

"Lavi… It hurts… It hurts so much…"

The young man blinked and drew an arm under Allen's head. He half lifted him, tugging the boy's torso up to his own chest.

"If you want to cry, then cry! You'll feel better. I think," he whispered in his hair and Allen felt him smile. The boy nodded appreciatively. Lavi was his oldest friend, not to mention the only one. And when he needed him, he was there. He also was there when Allen didn't need him. But those were small details.

"Here come the painkillers!!" Allen cracked his healthy eye open. Lavi was swinging a pill under his nose, making buzzing sounds, probably imitating a plane. "Come on, brotha, I'd be happy if a steamy and sexy ass like me fed this bitter crap to you!"

Allen snickered through tears and swallowed the pill. Lavi knew how to make his day better. And he always did. The nurse who was now placing another dose in a small porcelain bowl smiled at the scene.

"You guys are close, right?"

Lavi turned to her with a sly face.

"Oh, him? This is my little bro, my pal, my broseph!"

Allen laughed weakly. He let himself lay back on the high pillow, liberating Lavi.

"What the heck is a broseph?"

Lavi grinned and ruffled his head. "The coolest dude around. In other words—you! Besides—"

"Lavi." Allen interrupted him, pointing at the orange sweater, "What the bloody heck is this?!"

The redhead glanced down, disturbed a bit. He always ate carefully, so it couldn't be stains.

" Ah, this?" Lavi brightened, tugging his sweater down to flatten the image. "I got it from a friend. It's rad!"

"Lavi, seriously?! 'Save a tree, eat a beaver_'_?! How is that cool?"

Lavi grinned, plopping on the floor.

"You ain't seen nothing. I also have "333, I'm only half evil" and "Orgasm donor."

Allen cringed.

"If I were a girl, I wouldn't have trusted you." Ah, the medication was finally kicking in. It was almost painless. The boy extended his hand, trying to reach the glass filled with orange juice. Lavi hopped closer, reacting faster than the boy.

"Believe me, bud, that's what all the girls say. Then end up with me!"

Allen smirked and bit the margin of the glass. Lavi's hand supported the cup, sensing the trembling movements of the boy's fingers. The juice was bitter as if was fetid or spoiled or… His senses were off.

"Lavi, what time is it?"

Lavi stopped in the middle of a hot monologue of dating tactics and stared at the wall behind Allen.

"Nine. Only ni—" He stiffed. Then he clutched his head and groaned. "I didn't call my pops since yesterday! He'll turn my ass inside out," Lavi whispered, searching in his pockets. "Phone, phone…Where the fuck is my phone?!"

"Lavi!!"

"Sorry…" Lavi murmured apologetically, "I just can't fu— find it," he rapidly corrected himself, grasping Allen's expression. The boy frowned and turned away.

"Allen Walker?" The nurse was back, smiling in her pale pink uniform. Lavi finally found his phone and jumped out gesticulating wildly, probably making up explanations and excuses.

"The doctor prescribed you medications; you'll pick up later at the counter. Just take them every two hours and the pain should be ok."

"You mean… I can go home?!" Allen hopefully stared at the woman. She smiled and nodded, and her curly golden locks nodded too, agreeing.

"Your screening was good; you don't have any serious wounds. You're one lucky boy! But be sure to call if the skin under the stitches becomes red, Ok honey?"

Allen nodded.

"Just take care, ok? Oh, and come back in four days; we'll remove the stitches," she said, pointing her finger up for unknown reasons.

Allen half smiled. He liked gentle people who spoke softly. Strangely enough, there were no such individuals in his life. Only rude and cold, or bright and stunning. He stood up clasping the margin of the bed frame. Thank God, he didn't have crushed or broken bones. Lucky, huh.

He never considered himself lucky. But yet, he wasn't unlucky either. He sighed and paced slowly to the door. Lavi was still talking. If that could be considered talking. Allen poked his head through the door frame, watching a very familiar scene.

"Nah. No fucking way. I'm not going home," the redhead yawned and scratched his side. He squatted on the floor and tiredly riffled his hair. "I'll be there in…late. I have to stay with Allen, pops. Well, that has nothing to do with me!" he mumbled with hostility. "I have my own reasons."

Still talking, he got up and started kicking the wall slowly, as if he was doing it unconsciously. "Yup," he hit the wall again. "Only the face. No bones, no deadly wounds, nothing. Stitches?" Ah, he was probably talking about his injuries. Allen tiptoed inside and stared at the window. The sun was up. It looked sickly yellow.

"Allen, you ready? I'll drive you home," Lavi plopped on the floor, yawning. His eyes were droopy and tired. "And yeah, pops said you should take a few days off from work and school."

Allen bit his lip. He forgot about that altogether. "Th-that'll be a problem," he smiled worriedly. He had to pay rent in two days. And now, thanks to some drunken idiot, the hospital bills. Noticing his sunken spirits, Lavi patted his shoulder.

"Hey kiddo, you okay? 'Cos I can totally help you, even though I have no idea what you're thinking about."

Allen tried to smile. A side of his mouth curled up while the second remained frozen and unfeeling. He slowly palmed it, as if only now he became conscious of what happened to him. He sensed Lavi's worried eyes on his face. His mouth twitched, trying to maintain the calmness.

"Lavi, can you drive me home? It's kind of far—"

"Sure thing. But you sure you're ok? You're kinda pale."

The boy shook his head negatively. "It's ok. I'll be fine."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* * *

"So, I'll notify the Teaches that you can't come," Lavi smiled tiredly, keeping the yellow door open with his boot. "You take care, ok? 'Cos you're my pal and everything, you know? It would be totally uncool—"

"Ok, ok. Just go. Your father is probably ripping his hair off," Allen pushed him gently in the side. "I'll just go and sleep for two days, so don't you dare call or come, got it?"

"Totally," the redhead grinned, waving buh-bye. His fingers had the same light, golden color. Only after closing the door Allen felt the grimness and emptiness of his apartment. He sat down and just listened to every sound that should have been there, like the soft water splashes in the bathroom, the humming of the electric kettle, and the clinks of the glass tubes he hanged on the window.

He heard just silence. And he hated silence.

Allen turned on the radio, absentmindedly wiping the table it stood on. Accompanied by the electronic voice, he picked up his phone, listening to the voice mail. Empty. Well, people didn't call him much, except for Lavi. And Lavi didn't like leaving voice mails. He made his presence through random photos, sticker notes, and bright doodles on Allen's walls, leaving the later to scrub them off.

"Hello? Mr. Crowley? It seems I won't be able to come to work a few days." On the other end, the owner of the cleaners shop started speaking with a weak and timid voice. Allen sighed. He really liked his boss, and the only foul he could think of was the trembling, shy personality Crowley possessed.

"What? You were already notified?! By whom?" Allen stopped playing with the curled cord. "For a _week_? But I just wanted two days off!!"

He stared at the mirror above in front of him. His reflection was holding a phone too, looking a bit startled and panicked. It was bandaged all over the left part of the face, leaving only his mouth and nose out. Like a half assed mummy.

"I really don't understand, sir. I never called! Uh… my friends…Maybe…" he laughed faintly, not even believing his own words. "Thank you, mister Crowley."

He put the phone on its rightful place and blinked. He could be home for a full week with no questions asked. Plus, a sum of money was going to be deposited in his bank account. The boy sat down. He had no idea Crowley was so nice! Paying him for sick days… But—

He grabbed the phone and started dialing another number. It couldn't be. If his theory was right then—

"Hello? CanIspeaktoProfessorKomui?" he yelled into the phone. "Ah, sorry! I, um, I wanted to as—" He stiffed and almost dropped the phone. "A week? I-I see. Ok. Thank you, professor."

He put the phone on the table, not even bothering to press the red button to terminate the long beeps.

He didn't call. Lavi didn't call. Bookman didn't call. The nurse didn't call. No one he knew called. And yet he had seven excused and paid days for himself.

That left only one person out. Only one.

And the boy dialed again.

"Hello? Kanda?"

___________________

**So…yeah. I want that 'save a tree, eat a beaver' shirt. And the ' 333' one. And the whole process about stitches will be explained in the next chapter. Chimera Ally, you are awesome!!! Thank you for beta-ing the chapter and giving me vital info about stitches!!**


	6. Hell 6

I'm sorry I updated so late. Lots of things happened and I couldn't do it in time. Meanwhile, you guys were the Best!! I got 30 reviews for the last chapter and that made me insanely happy! Special thanks to CrimsonKitsune333 for hilarious messages that helped me through my miserable week, and AnimePinkGirl for her support!

**Confusio**

Allen stared at the small wall mirror, holding the phone. He drew a hand though his locks, trying to bring everything together.

"You can't talk to me?" he stated, trying to erase the sarcasm in his voice. "You can't talk to me because you're driving?"

On the other end, an irritated "Tch" responded the half question. The boy gripped the phone. "Well then, when _can_ I call you?" This time the sarcasm was evident. The laconic mumbling on the other end made him jump.

"No need? What do you mean, no need?!" he gripped the phone and felt the black plastic warm against his damp hand. "M-my apartment? Why do you…You're coming to my apartment?! Kanda!!" He stared dumbfounded at the floor. The long beeps cried impassibly until the boy slammed the phone into its rightful place.

"No way…"

Kanda was coming here.

______________

Allen rapidly glanced around for the thirtieth time. The small dark green sofa hosted a huge bag of corn puffs and the remote control; its cover was slightly uneven, touching the floor with the stern wool frills. He pulled it up, evening the wrinkles. He turned swiftly around, searching for other repairable flaws.

The window was slightly open, letting in a miasma of frost and cigarettes. Allen closed it and pushed a small pot of blooming violets on the window pane. Suddenly noticing the aged crumbles of paint on the light wood Allen traced a finger on one of them, breaking the fragile curl. He jerked his finger back, startled by the blackness of his nail on the white surface.

"First the hand, now the face…"

Allen yanked the curtains close one to another, dimming the light, and arranged the two chairs next to the wall. What else? He screened the whole room, passing over the crack on the ceiling and the dark green wall with books on it.

It seemed so empty. Allen grated his teeth and upped the volume of the radio. He hated silence even more than he loathed the electronic voice of the metallic box. He left the room, entering his kitchen. A pile of dirty mugs and plates was dripping silently in the sink. He felt his energy disappear just by looking at that pile. Skipping it, he just grabbed the broom, sweeping the floor with jerky movements.

"You're supposed to be in the bed right now."

Allen jumped up and dropped the broom. He turned to the door and stared disbelievingly at the man in front of him.

"K-kanda? When did you—"

"Just now," Kanda cut his sentence and took his shoes off. He placed a brown packet on the kitchen table and turned to the frozen boy who was trying unsuccessfully to pick up the broom and stuff it somewhere before Kanda noticed it.

"Don't bother."

Allen finally gripped the broom's handle and pushed it into a corner. Kanda scrutinized the kitchen, his eyes stopping on the boy. Allen watched him silently, taken aback by the sudden appearance of this man in his home.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Kanda evenly asked, his voice indifferent and unperturbed. He probably wasn't waiting for an answer either so Allen didn't even tried to respond. He just watched as Kanda took his coat off, dropping it on the nearby chair.

"It's small," Kanda nodded in the direction of the room and grabbed the packet on the table.

"Huh?" Allen squeaked as the man started undoing the knots on it. Everything was happening too fast for the boy to understand. Kanda seemed unperturbed by the tensed silence in the kitchen; moreover, he looked as if he owned the apartment. Only when his struggles with the brown threads of the packet were in vain, he eyed Allen with indifferent eyes.

"Do you have scissors?"

Allen wordlessly pointed at the kitchen counter where a knife holder was leaning on the wall, missing one supporting leg. Kanda hmm-ed and grabbed the meat knife, cutting the packet's paper. He spread the bag contains on the table, covering it completely with small bottles of medicine and large packs of cotton wraps, oranges, and apples.

"Close your mouth. You're drooling."

The boy snapped out of his daze and tightened his jaw. The pain was still away; half of his face was asleep and unfeeling. He watched Kanda's movements with a mixture of sentiments. When the man wrinkled the brown paper and promptly opened the small drawer under the sink in search of a waste basket, Allen bit his lip. Kanda's familiarity was almost insulting. This man was butting in his life without any reason.

"Why did you do that?" Allen quietly asked, staring at Kanda's pale face. In this apartment, his face seemed to get even paler and even more stone-like. The man closed the drawer and straightened his back. He was still in his dark suit, meaning he came here straight from the university.

"Why did you call Mr. Crowley?" Allen insisted, his voice gradually getting louder. Kanda cocked one brow in response and Allen tensed. There it was, that half-mocking, half-serious look he usually wore when speaking to him. The man silently smirked and turned away.

"Kanda," Allen's voice came forth for the third time, with steely undertones, "Why did you call my boss? Why did you call the school?"

The man's face twitched with irritation and he turned to the table, picking up a bottle. He examined it carefully, even trying to open it at one moment.

"I didn't," he said calmly, finally putting the bottle back on the table. He stared at the boy over the shoulder, his gaze heavy and intimidating. Allen stiffed.

"You didn't?" he murmured, genuinely surprised. He paced toward Kanda, eyeing carefully his face, "You sure?" he inquired, squinting at him with a doubtful scowl. The man frowned.

"Why would I?" he sharply spat the words, glaring at the boy. "Why would I concern myself with you?"

'_Will you shut the fuck up?! It my house, ya hag!!'_

Allen froze. Kanda jolted and threw a startled glance at the window. Seemed like the couple that lived a wall away had some problems, and they were resolving it in the loudest method.

"_Whore! Yer a whore! H-O-R-E!" _the man spelled, his voice full of grammatical confidence. Allen felt his cheeks burn. He could see Kanda wrinkling his nose a bit, displeased with the noise. A painful wave of shame filled him, as if he was the screaming man.

"_Shut up! Shut the hell up! I'll call the police, you rotten sonnova bitch!"_

Then the woman was yelling back; no words but a hoarse howling filled with alcohol and tobacco scents. A child started crying and Allen unconsciously tensed: he had met the little girlie once. Then the silence fell, a little unnatural but still very welcome.

Allen smiled apologetically, lifting a palm to his face.

"T-That's m—"

A loud crack of a slammed door cut his words and he mutely stared at Kanda with a palm in the air. Someone was wailing in the hall, slamming the thin wall with force. Allen gulped and nervously glanced at his own door, alarmed. The hits died a few seconds later, descending a floor, waking up other doors and screaming people.

"I'm sorry about this," Allen whispered through the teeth, looking at the green linoleum on his kitchen floor. Kanda didn't respond. He acted as if the boy wasn't here, or the noise wasn't there, or he wasn't—

"Does this happen all the time?" the man broke the stiff silence. Allen glanced at him as if he didn't understand the question; when Kanda pointed to the door the boy lowered his eyes and nodded once.

"They argue all the time, so…"

"Is that why you turn the volume so high?" Kanda jerked his chin toward the small room, where waves of classical music could be heard.

Allen blinked. He stared at the closed door of his bedroom. His face changed as if he was disclosing something very personal.

"No, I just don't like silence," he smiled shyly. Kanda hmm-ed and eyed the floor. Allen glanced nervously at him, not sure why was this man here in the first place.

"How many stitches?" Kanda's voice sounded professional and uncaring. Allen touched the bandaged side and felt nothing. He had taken his medicine as he was told, so the pain was away.

"Um… I think thirty or so…" the boy frowned and poked his lower lip. "I am sure they used glue on my cheek; it wasn't _that _deep. They said the worst part was the forehead."

Kanda hmmed again. He glanced at the bandaged side and frowned. "You _know_ it'll leave a scar, and a big one?"

The boy smiled weakly and let his fingers comb the white hair. "Well, there's nothing _I _can do about it, is there?" His voice sounded bitter and sarcastic at the same time. "After all, _I_ was the one to walk in the middle of the road!"

"How brilliant," Kanda raised one brow, tapping his fingers with irritation. "I wonder if it's possible to kill you at all. I guess idiots don't die as easily," he sneered, hiding a wry grin. Allen narrowed his eyes and glared at the man with open anger.

"You know what? Every time you see me- you just _have_ to be so…so nasty! What have I _ever_ done to you?!" he waved his hand around in indignation. "Why are you always, always scoffing like that when you see me?" Allen stopped, his face flustered with anger. "What are you doing here in the first place?"

Kanda listened inertly, his face a wooden mask. Waiting until the angry flow of words stopped, the man looked at Allen with the most infuriating eyes the boy had seen.

"That doesn't concern you," Kanda passively replied, picking up invisible dirt on his sleeve. One of the mouth's corners tugged up a bit when he heard Allen grating his teeth.

"You know what? Just get out." The boy quietly yet clearly said, tiredly drawing a hand through his hair. "I have a bunch of things to do, and you're in the way," he continued, looking away. It seemed that he wasn't good with chasing people out of his house. He looked nervous of Kanda's reaction to his words.

"What kind of things?" Kanda inquired, coking his head to the left. Allen silently pointed at the sink.

"Dishes, laundry, cooking. I have lost a few hours of sleep with all that fuss over my wound, but I'm sure I can catch up with the schedule," he narrated, his uneasy expression alleviating. "Just before you came, my boss from the store called." Allen continued, "I have to go and pick up my pay check."

Kanda stood up and eyed the kid with hard eyes.  
"I knew you are dumb, but I didn't think you were _that_ imbecile. You'll wear yourself out if you keep this up."

Allen stared at him with some amazement. "Why would you care?" he asked; not bitterly or sarcastically, but with sincere curiosity. He seemed to be genuinely interested in the response. Kanda turned away and started peeling an orange.

"That buddy of yours will become even more insufferable if something happens to you. It'll affect my classes," he dryly mumbled, unconsciously squeezing the fruit in his hand. After a short pause Allen laughed weakly; that spark of earlier interest simply died.

"I see… you're doing it for yourself… And it wasn't you who called." He almost whispered, disappointment evident in the tone of his voice. Kanda didn't respond. Allen watched his back with a hint of sadness in the eyes.

"Um, would you like some tea?" he softly offered, pointing at the kettle. He had no idea how to hold himself in this man's presence; in a sense, it was much easier when Kanda was his professor. At least he could know what to expect. When Kanda didn't respond the boy put the electrical kettle on its stand, pressing the button down.

Another nervous pause hung in the air; Allen edgily tapped his fingers on the knee, outing the themes of possible conversations he could start. He never thought that this man would come into his home. No, he could never imagine that. As a professor Kanda was stern and austere, his very existence was ascetic. And Allen was the polar opposite of that.

He liked people. He liked the zumming of the streets full of unknown personalities; their noise made him calm and alive. That was the very reason he enjoyed Lavi's presence in his existence. The redhead almost oozed Life itself.

The humming of the kettle heightened and the boy eagerly jumped toward it, finally having something to do.

"Leave it. I bet you have no idea how to make a proper cup of tea," Kanda pressed his shoulder, forcing him back into the chair. Allen stared at him with disbelief and suspicion, shrugging the heavy and cold palm off him.

"Yeah, I do. Any fool can do it!"

Kanda smirked and crossed his arms.

"Any fool… good self portrait."

Allen shoved accusatorily a pack of raw green tea under Kanda's nose.

"Lavi loves my tea! He said it's the best tea he has ever drunk!"

"Lavi's an idiot. And you are too, for believing him," Kanda dismissed the fuming boy with a negligent fluttering of a wrist. "Besides, you are already doing it wrong, fool." The man snatched the pack of tea from the small hand and pointed at the electric kettle.

"First mistake: you boiled the water."

He confidently ripped the sealed tea pack and sniffed it, grinning with hidden excitement.

"It has jasmine in it. Good." He severely focused on Allen and grabbed two small ceramic cups from his hands. "Look and learn." Allen peeped over his shoulder, standing on his toes. The man clicked his tongue and pushed the boy in front of him, letting him see the brewing process closely.

Without one word, the man dug his fingers into the pack, taking out a clump of loose tea leaves. He threw them in the mugs, pouring cold water over them, just enough to cover the brownish bits.

"See that?"Kanda pointed at the mugs. "Let it stay until the water boils."

"But the water's alre—"

Kanda sighed with irritation and lifted the kettle, spilling the hot water into the sink. In another minute, the kettle was on its stand again—filled with cold water— humming warmly. Kanda wiped his hands on a paper towel and sat on the nearby chair. Allen gaped at the mugs with a scowl on his face.

"I don't get it," he murmured, irritation conspicuous in his eyes. "What's the cold water in the cups for?"

Kanda scoffed with disdain at Allen's ignorance. "The metallic taste. It kills it."

The boy's face brightened. He glanced at Kanda with newly found respect. "Where did you learn that trick?"

Kanda's eyes darkened. "That doesn't concern you." He abruptly stood up and lifted the kettle, pouring the boiling water into the mugs. He could sense the boy behind him, a bit anxious and a little happy without any reason. His scowl dissipated, leaving a blank, emotionless look behind.

Kanda silently put the second cup on the table in front of the boy. Allen nodded as a 'thank you' and sniffed the tea. Kanda watched him coldly, holding his own cup in the air. The boy falteringly touched the cup and jerked his hand back, controlling his urge to just gulp the liquid down. He hadn't had a cup of tea in almost two days.

"Is it ok to drink it now?"

The man merely nodded, lips touching the margin of his earth mug. He observed the boy's movements with clear and intense eyes, as though he waited for something. The boy finally lifted the mug and sipped softly, blinking at the hot steam that tickled his face. Kanda narrowed his eyes. Another sip and Allen blinked again, confused.

"It tastes strangely. Is it supposed to be that way?"

Kanda placed his cup of tea on the table, having not touched the tea even once. He stood up and opened the door to Allen's bedroom, turning off the radio. Allen watched him startled, caught off guard by the man's actions.

"Kanda, what are you doing?" He stood up and at the same time grabbed the table's corner. The room was spinning wildly in front of his eyes; and at one point, there were three Kandas in the room, approaching him.

"Th-the tea… Kanda, you bastard!" Allen tried to keep his eyes open while staring at the man at the entrance of his bedroom. The boy grabbed the cup and turned it upside down, splashing the water over himself, the cotton folds that were still on the table, and the linoleum.

He slid his fingers at the bottom of the cup, finally touching a sand-like mass. "What did you put in the tea?!" Allen yelled, his voice hoarse and strident. "What the heck did you put there?!"

"Sixteen hours of sleep. That's all," Kanda indifferently stated, watching him with austere eyes. "That will make sure you'll be in bed at least for a day."

Allen's jaw tightened. "What the hell…" he fell on his knees, unable to suppress the waves of sleep that hit his eyeballs with an uncontrollable force. He felt water under his knees. Tea, still warm.

"Bastard. You bloody bastard," Allen groaned dizzily, gripping his face. He heard paces -lots of them- which were coming to him with unknown intentions. Something lifted him by the armpits and the boy grated his teeth. His brain was slowly turning into a cotton candy-like mass, unable to fight with a sleepless night and a few sleeping pills.

"Tch. So you did pick up dirty language," Kanda murmured, putting the softly breathing boy on the small bed. He silently took off his socks and pants, leaving him in an oversized white T-shirt. Covering him with a blanket Kanda frowned, startled at the dark color of the sheets.

The man straightened his back and glanced around the room. There was not even a hint of white. Even the walls were covered by pale green paper, torn off at the corners. A small desk with a laptop on it hosted a big wooden board, covered in photographs.

Kanda glanced at the lump on the bed, covered with the thick blanket. The white hair and the bandage were contrasting stridently with the dark green pillow case. Did the kid hate white, or what? He hmm-ed and prepared to leave when something caught his attention.

Photos. There were photos everywhere; the majority of them swarmed the wooden board above the desk. Kanda approached it, cocking is head to see them better.

Allen with a huge yellow dog, grinning happily, probably six or seven years old. Allen blowing off candles, his mouth dirty with ketchup. The cake had five of them. Strange, but the kid's hair was light brown here. Kanda glanced at another corner of the board.

Allen and Lavi on a beach. Lavi was wet, holding a watermelon while Allen apparently failed at getting away from him. Another photo had Lavi on a motorcycle, shoving a victory sign. Lavi on a football field, his face muddy, teeth glinting. Lavi on a horse. Lavi on a Merry-go-Round. In every photo, the same red hair appeared. Kanda frowned and lowered his eyes; another photo attracted his attention. It was half covered by a picture of Allen with Lavi on a dirt bike.

Kanda removed the photo, uncovering a small Polaroid picture.

Allen was sitting on the grass with another person; the boy seemed embarrassed and stiff. The guy next to him looked straight into the camera; his straight blond hair and blue eyes were severe and reserved. Kanda detached the photo from the board and glanced at bottom of it.

_July, 200X. Link&Walker_.

Kanda brought it closer to his eyes.

This photo was strange. Something in it made Kanda tense and uncomfortable. He glanced up, unconsciously comparing the photo with the ones on the wall. His eyes started searching for that _something_ he was not sure existed. It took him a few minutes to realize. Faces.

He grabbed another photo from the board, ignoring the light sound of a fallen pin. Lavi and Allen were on it, frying marshmallows. Lavi's face grinned in an explosive way; his arms were wrapped around the boy's neck. Allen was smiling widely, his eyes glistening and alive.

Kanda glanced back at the first photo. The blue eyes of the that Link guy gazed at him, papery and unblinking. Kanda shifted his attention to the boy's face. The smile and the shoulders seemed to be forced, too trying and too artificial.

The man sighed and pinned the photos back onto the board. Gazing silently over the sleeping lump, he turned off the lights and closed the door. He proceeded to walk into the kitchen, lifting his black coat. That was all. The brat will probably sleep for twelve to sixteen hours; that would keep him away from house work and other unnecessary distractions.

"Why did I call, huh?" he said quietly, wrapping a black scarf around his neck. "He's dense." The man took out his cell and turned it off, ending another annoying vibrating. That Dasia had to be fooling around, sending him idiotic messages with OMFG on them.

Throwing the phone back into the pocket, Kanda closed the kitchen door. It screeched loudly. He bent, picking up his shoes. The light was dim here; probably one of the light bulbs was out. Kanda sat on the bench and tried to pull his shoe up, ignoring the nagging pain in his pinkie. He bought the shoes a few days ago and still wasn't used to them.

A sudden tapping sound made him freeze with one foot in the air. Kanda looked up, meeting his own face in the small wall mirror with a phone under it. The tapping reiterated and Kanda confidently grabbed the front door's handle, pulling it. The door opened silently. Kanda was looking directly into a set of serious blue eyes.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, sir. Does Allen Walker live here?"

________________________

"I'm home, pops," Lavi hiccupped and fell on a nearly chair. The shitty old man was probably in the hospital, doing his business. Lavi grinned drunkenly and straightened on the chair, throwing the car keys into the wall. "I'm HOME, pops!" he yelled pointlessly, knowing that pops was far away, unable to hear the greeting.

"Home, sweet home…" he laughed quietly, covering his eyes. Crap. His head was splitting in two and he could hear a bee sound next to his ear. He smacked the air and hit his face. No bees. Not even a mosquito.

"Agh…"

He stood up, feeling a powerful urge to fall on some bed and sink into a dreamless sleep. He really shouldn't have stopped by Red Dante even if their drinks _were _the best; he should have headed straight home. Bah! He was worried about the little guy, ok? Lavi sighed and clasped his head.

At least he made a new discovery today: The barman of the club was no one else than Tyki, that Spanish or Mexican or whatever guy from Kanda's class.

Lavi stood up and shakily proceeded to his room. His stomach constricted and he leaned on the wall, trying to control his shaking knees.

"No more gin for me… "

Gaining illusive control over the situation, Lavi trotted to his room, falling twice on the way. Reaching the bed, the redhead jumped into it and immediately clasped his head.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!"

He punched the bed frame and started cursing loudly, sucking his knuckles.

"Yer a bitch, y'kno' dat?" his speech slurped as he stared at the wooden frame. "Yeah, you!" he pocked the wood, letting his hand down. He curled into a ball and stared at the wall. His eyes felt inflated, looking at the world through a gray lens. He slowly got up and forced himself to go into the shower.

Lavi hesitated at the glass door. He'll have to undress and turn the hot water on. He'd probably feel heavy and wet after that. Screw shower. He turned away tugging his pants up. Catching his own eyes in the mirror he stopped. "Look horrible" was an understatement. His face was pale and tired, with dark circles under the eyes.

He closed his eyes, denying the image. It didn't work. Propping his forehead against the glass Lavi sighed defeated, and started undoing the necklace he had on.

"Fucking shower."

He slipped from the pants, stomping on them as he tried to hold his balance. The metallic pieces silenced, touching the fluffy rug. Lavi lifted his arms and immediately let them fall to his sides. They were incredibly heavy and uncooperative. It was as though his whole body was in some daze, rocked by waves of sleep.

He finally threw the rest of the clothes off, stumbling into the shower stall. He stared dumbly up, waiting for the water to fall on his face. A single heavy drop of cold water plopped on his nose, rudely waking him up.

"What the fu—"

Lavi stopped halfway, suddenly remembering Kanda's scowling face. The redhead grated his teeth and turned the water on. He hated that man. He hated his fucking guts. Kanda was the embodiment of everything Lavi abhorred.

For starters, that dude was haughty. He held himself as if he were a king or something. More like he had a missile up his ass. Lavi grinned, imagining the picture. Then there was that Holier-than-thou attitude that made him insufferable. Then there was the face, too strange and controversial: blue eyes with Asian features.

The hot strings whipped Lavi as he slowly slid down, hugging his knees. The sound of water made him almost deaf; he opened his eyes, purposely letting them be stung by the chloral and pristine wetness.

The face of that man was in his mind again. He let out a strangled noise and immediately closed his mouth. There were times when he hated his memory. It was too fucking accurate. He couldn't forget even if he wanted to. And now he simply couldn't endure his gift.

Lavi remembered every single minute of that man's presence. He clearly recalled the man's face as he met him in that café. Now that he thought of it… it was beautiful. That's what he had thought when he had seen him in the dim light. Just fucking beautiful.

"Screw it all!" He suddenly yelled, hitting the wall with ferocity.

He froze, biting his lower lip. Kanda's touch. He remembered that too. That day Kanda had carried him into the bathroom, preventing Lavi from vomiting in the lab. His face had been so close then, so close that Lavi could have counted the eyelashes. They were long and shiny; they made Kanda's eyes painfully blue and large when he called him "Yuu-chan."

"Screw you, bastard," Lavi whispered, eyes squeezed. The man's mocking scowl was there again, watching him with disdain and hauteur. Lavi fisted his hand, gripping it until his knuckles became white.

It was there again, that hateful image. It was there, in his head, since the night at the café. Since he met him in the class, since the dissection, since they fought in the hospital… Since forever.

Lavi slowly closed his eyes, letting them rest under the eyelids. The water went rambling on, hitting him straight in the face with hot and caressing punches. And he remembered. He remembered them vividly, those moments.

Lavi's lips tugged, revealing a weak smile. Something warm flickered in his chest and the man relaxed, letting his legs spread slowly on the shower's floor. He let his eyes close and slowly drifted into a sound sleep, covered only by the air and a cascade of hot water.

Yuu's face, not Kanda's. It was Yuu's face.

_________

Yeah, so I introduced Link. And yeah, don't ever fall asleep in shower. I did it once and it wasn't pretty afterward...

Another important thing: I have recently read **Dude** by **roxyyRAWRR** and laughed my socks off... I highly recomend it because I strongly believe that the story deserves more love!!! So! Check it out! GO! GO AND SHOWER IT WITH LOVE!!!!


	7. Hell 7

Seven thousand words and something. My arms are going to fall off. And you guys are awesome. I love you all. So many reviews and faves and subscribers- I feel very honoured. Thank you.

**Morium**

When Lavi rolled under the car it was already past midnight. He wrinkled his nose, feeling the sweet smell of grease and leather and grabbed a wrench. He felt his brow sweating; he grinned— it wasn't his first time when he dismantled this car. Oh, hell yeah— it was his twelfth time already, and he still wasn't sick of it!

Lavi started whistling— something old, like a Metallica tune, or was it AC/DC? Anyway, he just _had_ to whistle. And he simply _had_ to tap the end of his boot into rhythmical spasms, sometimes just nipping slightly the stone floor when he'd find an especially stubborn screw.

"Come on…"

He groaned and got out, careful not to hit his head. He was sweating— even more than usual— his green t-shirt had wet circles around the neck and armpits. He grinned again smearing the big splash of grease on his cheek— that thing made him a bit uncomfortable.

"If pops knew, he'd skin my nuts," he whispered and took out the bumper. Sleepless nights led Lavi into the garage filled with screwdrivers and French keys; he'd crawl under the 1959 Volkswagen Beetle his pops owned and slowly take apart the rust bucket. Of course it wasn't a problem— the old fart never drove the car!!

"Ok, now going for th—"

Agh. He clasped his head and crawled out cussing. Sometimes he'd know exactly when to raise his head and perfectly avoid that rusty hook in the side of the car; other times –like now— he'd forget and try to stand up too early.

"The hell!" Lavi touched his forehead and sighed— the hand came back red. He threw the screwdriver into the pile of some ropes he had forgotten to wind up years ago. He pushed himself up and grabbed the nearest cloth— a plainly dirty piece of an ex T-shirt. He wiped his hands -insisting on the wrists- and turned off the lights, leaving the small garage. It was already four in the morning and he had to somehow show up in college- oh yeah, he had Monday schedule.

Lavi hadn't visited Allen almost two days as he promised. He was uneasy about the kid - the boy probably was either reading the Anatomy textbook or dusting it right now. Lavi frowned and opened the front door, throwing the garage keys into the general bowl where all keys belonged. He sneakily tiptoed on the stairs, carefully avoiding the coffee table on the second floor.

His pops was a health freak. And Lavi wasn't. He didn't freaking care if he slept only four hours out of twenty four—hey, it was his life, not his pops'! He glanced at the clock and sighed with annoyance. It was only four now- meaning he had time until nine. One hour, one fucking hour! Lavi threw his clothes on the chair and grabbed the nearest book –something about inquisition- and sat heavily on the bed.

Even though his eyes were scanning the disturbing images of Christianity's cleansing his mind was elsewhere; he automatically turned the pages and wet his finger—none of it made sense. Crap. The man let the book slip away from his hands. Monday schedule. That meant first class was Kanda's.

Lavi groaned and stared at the ceiling. What the hell… He took out his cell phone and started dialing. Two long beeps and the other end responded with a hoarse and irritated voice.

"Lavi? Why the bloody heck are you calling me at five in the morning?!"

Allen was sleeping all right! Lavi grinned and turned on one side, eyes stopping on an inappropriately busty woman on a calendar. Pops didn't mind having these around the house.

"It's four, buddy, not five. That's a big difference!" He smiled imagining the pissed off boy on the other side. He knew Allen didn't like the mid-morning calls yet the boy had never hung up on him- he always listened. Lavi's smile became somewhat sentimental.

"How have you been, kiddo? I haven't seen you in two days just as you wanted; now spill!"

He sensed Allen fidgeting on his end.

"Um… I'm good… I guess?" Allen seemed to be nervous. Lavi sat up.

"You _guess_?"

Another silence responded; this time Lavi was sure as hell the kid was hiding something. "Listen up, buddy. Spill the beans now or I'll call Barney to sing for you."

He heard Allen laugh and drop something. "Kid, you okay?"

"I um… I'm just dizzy a bit. I slept two days straight and just woke up, so…" Allen paused again. Lavi squinted: _ah, that was it_- Allen was yawning.

"Two days straight, now that's fucking amazing! I thought you'd run straight for that laundry basket as soon as I went out yer door!"

An uncomfortable pause was once again in the air.

"Um, Lavi… This is kind of …well.. How is your class with Kanda?" the boy suddenly asked, his voice rasp and scratchy. Lavi laughed brusquely and just as suddenly stopped. They never talked about _that_. It was as though they both avoided the subject all along.

"Well… I guess it's alright," Lavi mumbled, avoiding the eyes of the girl on the poster. They were gray, just like Allen's. Not that he had girly eyes or something; just the color was the same! "That bitchy bastard turned out to be even bi—" Lavi stopped in the middle, licking his crisp dry now lips. He nervously tapped his toes and gripped the phone tighter.

"Lavi? You ok?"

Lavi silently stared at the carpet.

"Y-yeah, yeah," he added rapidly, ruffling his hair with fierceness, "I'll drop by tomorrow after school, alright? If you need something –even condoms! - gimme a call, ok?" He chuckled hearing the indignant shouting on the other end. "Adios, amigo! I'll thank you mucho gracias if you go back to yer sleep, princess!"

"Stick to one language! And I'm not a princess! Lavi, you hear me?"

Lavi simply hung up.

____

Allen crawled back under the sheets. Something was wrong with Lavi; he could just feel it. Of course, the redhead was the self-centered type, very prone to bragging. And he usually –no, all the time, really- badmouthed Kanda. The boy sighed, confused. He got up and softly trotted to the kitchen, hitting his knee along the way. It was five thirty in the morning and he just woke up from a forty eight hour sleep.

Allen promptly turned on the water and started washing the dishes- he had to do this a long time ago! Grabbing the sponge and the top plate he simply stared at the running water. It was too hot. The boy watched apathetically as it washed the grease away and directly onto his palm.

He hated washing the dishes.

Allen glanced at the clock and sighed again; this time with annoyance and irritation. That bastard, drugging him like that; what the bloody heck was he thinking?! Agh. His face was burning again. The boy angrily threw the sponge into the sink and slid to the floor, clasping his cheek.

"Oh god…"

He slowly got up and approached the table. It was still the same: three bottles of medicine and ten or twelve huge oranges Kanda left. Allen gritted his teeth. He usually appreciated kindness and nice acts but… Kanda's? The boy swiftly picked up the oranges and put them into the paper bag. He approached the waste basked and let the packet go inside.

He didn't want to be pitied. Not by that man.

A wet sound made him turn back and run toward the sink. Allen stared with growing annoyance at the dirty water that found its way from the overfilled sink to the floor. The stale food probably clogged the drain for two days. Two days! It was enough to have fungi grow there!

Allen silently entered his bathroom finding a dirty rag. It was a t-shirt once, white with a blue bunny. Where he had gotten it Allen didn't want to remember. Getting back to the kitchen the boy silently screamed. He could have sworn that the water was a small puddle before; now it was inundating half the kitchen floor and the worst part—

"Bloody hell! My bag!!" Allen threw the cloth away, lifting his bag from the wettest corner of the kitchen. It was dripping on his abdomen and crotch while he hurryingly opened it.

"God, please no!" He had half of his text books in there! And the laptop, where the heck was the laptop?! Three seconds later the boy took out a completely wet laptop. At the same time the door bell started ringing furiously and just by its manner the boy could guess it was a stranger.

"Um.." he nervously glanced at the faucet; it was turned off. "Just a second!" The laptop slipped from the wet fingers and the boy yelped trying to catch it. The bell rang again- this time with short pauses, as if the person behind the door was playing with it.

Allen finally put the laptop down and stumbled to the door. His pants and were wet and Allen prayed somewhere in the back of his mind that the person wouldn't misunderstand.

"I'm sorry I couldn-" The boy stared into the door crack. A green eye blinked with delight. "Lavi?!" Allen whispered incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"Dude, are you gonna keep me here? Let me in, dammit; it's fucking cold out here!"

Allen blinked confusedly and opened the door. The redhead sneaked in and threw his shoes off. He then turned around and glared at Allen with sparkling eyes.

"Get this- Pops is leaving for Japan! So I'll live alone in the big hut for the next four weeks! Isn't that cool?! And yeah, you're totally—did you bake cookies?" Lavi interrupted himself and sniffed around. Allen simply stared, his arms crossed. Coming in the middle of the night without even calling, that was so like Lavi. He could guess what really brought him here- either insomnia or hunger. Or both.

"Lavi." Allen quietly murmured, trying to control his overflowing annoyance, "why are you here? It's four in—"

"Six," Lavi was in the kitchen already and he probably found the red jar.

"What?"

"Six. It's six already. Dude, you should fix your biological clock! You're not three anymore!" The redhead pointed at Allen's pajamas.

"Oh, shut up. It's water, for Pete's sake."

"Nah. You smell like sex," Lavi grinned and opened the fridge. Allen gawked at him, stupefied.

" 'scusme?"

"Aw, come on! You're a guy! You're alone! What would a healthy guy do alone?" Lavi peeped over the fridge door, flashing his white teeth.

"Wash the dishes?" Allen quietly responded, pointing at the sink. Lavi's gaze soured; he finally closed the fridge and stepped right into the nearest puddle.

"And you call yerself a guy? Get creative! What the fuck is this?!" He sat on a chair, lifting his foot and looking intensely at its sole. "Crap, it's water alright." He lifted his eyes and looked at Allen, a bit disappointed. "And I here thought you hit puberty. What a drag…" He sighed and stared bored at the wall. Allen tensed. Lavi's 'downs' were as long as—three, two, one-

"By the way! You have pastrami? I ate it once had constipation for about a week—" Yup. Lavi alright. Allen sighed and closed his eyes.

"You're hungry?" the boy opened the fridge, already knowing the answer. He never really understood why Lavi came to him about once in two days just to eat. Bookman senior cooked well, but so did the cook in the Bookman household.

"Oh hell yeah! And can you make those white cookies too? They're so fu—

"Lavi!"

"-fudgy awesome!"

Allen silently nodded and took out the milk. He felt Lavi quieting behind him, just watching; he did it all the time. The boy smiled and started peeling the potatoes.

"Lavi, can you get the water? There's a-"

"Already on it!" the man grinned and grabbed the mop. He ran it onto the puddle a few times, imitating something with a motor or metallic wings. Or a lawn mower.

"Allen? Who's Link?"

The boy froze with the knife above the half chopped onion.

"Who?"

Lavi threw the mop into the corner and pointed at a stick-note on the fridge."Dunno, just Link. Who's the dude?"

Allen turned to the fridge door and held his breath. That yellow sticker wasn't there before. And it wasn't Lavi's rotund letters there. And the ink color was black, not that neon green Lavi used. He knew that narrow and elegant handwriting.

_Painkillers on the table. Link came._

The boy slowly resumed the chopping. He did it automatically not even noticing that the onion bits were sticking to the knife, flying into the wall when the boy lifted it.

"Umm…Link. He's a friend," Allen mumbled, his voice guilty and fake. Lavi huffed behind him, cocking his head in mistrust.

"Friend, huh? What kind of friend?" he asked casually, narrowing his eyes. "Friend…like _friend_ friend or just…friend?"

A nervous pause came from Allen's end. Then he laughed uneasily. Um, friend. Just friend."

Lavi blinked. "Dude, do you even realize how fake it sounds? You sound like you're hiding a bloody secret," and he pressed on 'secret', wiggling his brows. Allen didn't respond, concentrating on cutting.

"Well? Should I find a cassock and get behind the screen to hear your confession? _Pax vobiscum_, son, for these are the only saint words I know in Latin…" Lavi made a religious face, rolling his eyes up to meet some angels. Hearing Allen's laughter he lifted his hands and let out a low pitched wailing, most likely imitating a male chorus.

"Come on!" he broke the act and snatched the big vegetable knife from Allen's fingers. "I'm like… your best buddy! Your bestest buddy and pall! Your one and only bro! And you don't wanna tell me?" He whined, slowly screwing the knife into the wooden surface. Allen lowered his eyes and took out another knife.

"There are things I'd rather not talk about," he simply said, chopping the green peppers. "You probably have them too, right?"

Lavi glared at the floor. He let the knife go and the metallic object fell loudly on the table.

"I suppose I do," he sighed and glanced sharply at Allen. " But hell- what are friends for?" His eyes brightened and Allen mentally groaned. Here it comes—

" Hear this! You tell me your secret, I tell you my secret! So you'll have two secrets! What an investment!"

"Lavi-"

"Besides, that way we'll be bonded forever by a bloody secret of your birth or—hey, don't tell me you are an illegitimate child of some royal ass!"

"Lavi. Stop it," Allen cut him off harshly. His knuckles were white and tense. "Please stop it," he repeated with an effort. Lavi turned away cupping his chin.

"It's about the time you were in England, isn't it?"

Allen glanced up and hit the cutting board especially hard. Lavi stared at him expectantly.

"Lavi. You're being insensitive and immature. You have to know where to stop."

Lave averted his eyes. "I guess that's true." He chuckled sadly and looked at Allen with serious eyes. "And you're insincere. And fake. I guess we do suit each other, don't we?"

"I'm not insin…" Allen watched thoughtlessly his hand. It was small and white, too white and small. He fisted it.

"Oh! It's eight already!!" Lavi's voice shook him like an electric bolt. He jolted up and saw Lavi open the window. He sat on it, pushing the violets on the table and took out a pack of cigarettes.

" Um… Lavi, since _when_ do you _smoke_?"

"I will pretend I didn't hear the sarcasm in your voice," Lavi half closed his eyes and lit a cigarette. He slowly let the smoke go into the crispy air and finally looked back at Allen.

"I smoked since I was sixteen," he chuckled meeting the boy's disapproving gaze. "Pops was pissed off; I mean who in their right mind would choose to lung cancer, asthma, et cetera and so on?"

"You just did," Allen growled and opened a cupboard. "Is that your way of saying you're insane?"

"Hell yeah! There is no one in this world completely sane and logical. I'd bet my life on it."

Allen watched him attentively. His lips tugged into a small smile.

"Seriously, want to bet?" he asked, cocking his head. Lavi drew back and almost fell out of the window.

"Whoa! The little sparkly princess has bulldog teeth!" He jumped down and put out his cigarette. Smirking, he sat into the chair and crossed his legs.

"So," he grinned, "You wanna bet there is a completely logical, _sane_ person on this earth? And you wanna convince me –the big Kahoona- that?"

"Aha." Allen smiled coldly and extended his palm. "I bet… twenty dollars."

Lavi whistled mockingly and got up. "How 'bout we play big? I'll bet my car." His face became deadly serious. "If I hear the name and won't even have to argue with you then you win!"

"That's against my twenty?!" Allen seemed genuinely shocked. Lavi hmph-ed and grinned wider.

"You're right, seems too little…I know! You'll let me eat here every day! Milk cookies included! And you won't smack the back of my head when I draw on the walls! It affects the precious stuff inside!" And he tapped his forehead.

Allen sighed and scratched his hair. "You already eat here every day and draw on my walls. But if you insist…" He sat against Lavi and squinted. His eyes became steely and downright hard. Lavi mentally gulped.

"This is easier than stealing candy from a dead kid," Allen whispered and leaned closer. Lavi caught himself staring at the boy's face with awe. He really changed his personality in three or four seconds.

"Well, go ahead. You win, the car's yours. I win, I'll live here," Lavi suddenly said with a chilling face. Allen stared incredulously.

"What?!"

"Deal or no deal?"

A moment of silence and both of them burst into laughter.

"That was the lamest line I have ever said. It's a five percent phrase! Phoo!"

"Ok, ok, seriously, you want to _live_ here?" Allen insisted, half laughing. Then stopped, seeing Lavi's face.

"I'm so damn sick of living with pops. I mean, he's a great guy and all that jazz, but…" he sighed exaggeratedly. "If I stay there I'll have everything figured out, you know. And that sucks."

"I don't understand," Allen murmured, still shocked. "I thought you loved your father!"

"I do! That old man is the greatest pops a guy can ask! And I probably am an ass, but that's another story… So…deal?"

Allen smiled tiredly. "You're that desperate?"

Lavi stared at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know you can't win, right?" Allen whispered, rising his brows. The redhead smirked.

"Dude, hold your testosterone! This is soo going down! No, wait," he smirked wider and more amused, "You're _challenging_ me? Are you fucking _insane_?"

Allen grinned and poked his cheek, an embodiment of innocence.

"Ah, that's right; you have never seen me bet, right?"

Lavi lifted one brow. "What difference does it make? Dude, face it, you're a kid! There's no way in hell-"

The boy glared at him sharply. "You'll regret this. Deal," he extended his hand and Lavi grabbed it, amazed a bit by its size.

"Yer a kid alright. Deal! Now, let's hear that name!"

"You," Allen said, looking straight into his eyes. Lavi blinked and stared back.

"M-me? Or Kanda?"

It was Allen's turn to blink and stare. "Kanda? What does he have to do with this?"

Lavi swallowed. "His name, his first name is Yuu."

"Oh."

They both watched each other with an uncomfortable feeling.

"You didn't know, huh," Lavi stated, licking his lips nervously. He glanced sideways, refusing to meet Allen's eyes. His fingers tapped the table, gradually increasing the tempo and-

"You meant me, right?" He finally exploded and stared into Allen's eyes. "You mean I'm a cold bastard that never, never does anything on an impulse; I'm always pursuing my own interests and don't have a shred of human emotion in me?!"

Allen watched him with a regretful face.

"No, I didn't mean that," he said quietly.

"Then what are you saying?!" Lavi yelled. He looked genuinely hurt. Allen slowly let his eyes down.

"You always think about your actions, Lavi. You always make decisions based on your 'wants' and 'musts'."

Lavi listened, biting his lip. Somehow, the boy's words were revolting and hurting. He could never imagine that Allen, gentle and nice Allen would ever say things like that.

"Despite your emotions you always think and do what you consider good or beneficial for you," Allen continued quietly. "I know you hate the idea of inheriting your father's business, so you deliberately ruin your 'mature' image with stupid things and people like…me."

Lavi almost jumped off the seat. He moved his lips to say something, but Allen continued in the same quiet, peaceful voice.

"You are naturally curious, and I guess that's what drives you. Just think about it," Allen suddenly smiled, "every one of your friends have something remarkable or just plain…different about them."

"What the fuck are you talking about?! That's-"

"-True," Allen smiled and put his chin on the table. "Do you remember how we became friends?"

Lavi looked down and frowned. "Yeah. I do."

"Your first words ever you said to me were: Dude, you're a freaking Albino! Wanna be my friend?"

"But you looked so damn interesting! I mean-" Lavi silenced himself and glanced at the boy in front of him. "Now that you mention it… I think you're right. Devitto's a hacker and a damn good one, he taught me too; Jasdero has that mouth piercing thing that's just… cool; Dasia is playing in England's national in soccer, Tyki… he's Portuguese, and Road is a sadistic little bitch-"

"Whoa there!" Allen waved his hands. "That's not the point! My point is…your life is driven by curiosity and you find different ways to satisfy it. That's all."

Lavi frowned. "I still don't see 'cold ass, never goes on an impulse, always pursuing my interests, yada yada' about me."

Allen smirked and started stirring the stew he just made. "You're clueless. Logical doesn't mean cold; it means calculative and choosy. And believe me, you are all of it!" He laughed seeing Lavi's face. "Come on. It's not a bad thing, you know. I wish I were like you!" he added with a soft smile.

"Yeah, right. You didn't convince me, you know… And I really thought you're gonna say it was Kanda," Lavi murmured, looking away. "That Barbie boy is calculative and logical. And he's a real ass."

"Kanda?" Allen repeated with an icy tone. "Him? Logical? He's downright irrational." Allen's voice suddenly became harsh and bitter. Lavi tensed and lowered his chin. This was getting interesting.

"I have never seen a man act to thoughtlessly and stupidly," the boy spat and the spoon he held hit the bottom of the plate he was filling.

"I always got the impression that he was a very calculative –as you said- man," Lavi murmured with delight. At the same time, somewhere in the back of his head he felt that excitement of discovering more about this person in front of him. He silently noticed that he didn't really care that the boy seemed to be burning with hatred. In a way, he was analyzing him like machinery or a bug, trying to understand how he works. And that scared him.

"How would you explain his actions and words?" Allen declared loudly, eyes glinting with contained fury. "He came here, and when I asked him why, he said that's not my business," the boy snorted with disdain. "How logical is that? He came into _my_ house!"

"Wait. Yuu came here?" Lavi whispered, letting go of the bread he was biting before. Allen nodded and put a plate with food in front of him.

"He came here and drugged me. Bloody ba-"

"He came _here_?" Lavi repeated sharply. Allen stared at him, startled.

"Lavi, you're really pale. You ok?"

Lavi slowly let his eyes down and poked the meat in his plate. He chewed slowly, lost in thought.

"What did he come here for?" he asked, staring at his plate. Allen watched him alarmed.

"I don't know. He came and started making fun of me and…th-then he put sleeping pills into my tea and …I guess he left. Lavi, you're ok?"

Lavi nodded and bit the fork. "It's delicious. You really are a good cook."

Allen grabbed his hand and forced him to look into his face. "Lavi! What is with you?"

"Can you-can you tell me everything that happened?"

"I already told you-" Allen started, irritated.

"No," Lavi cut him, "Everything. Word to word."

"Even if you ask," Allen frowned and pierced him with a scrutinizing gaze, "even if you ask, I couldn't tell. I really don't remember _every word_."

Lavi's face became expressionless, like a Noh mask. He bit the naked fork again, not even realizing it. Allen lowered his eyes. Lavi got all touchy when it came to Kanda, and that wasn't normal. Did that man do something to him?

"L-Lavi… are you really ok?"

The man lifted his face and stared at Allen expressionlessly. He tapped his chin and grinned; the devious flicker in his eyes was back.

"We gotta celebrate. So, what do you say about a good cactus juice in that place around the corner? They have the best martinis and lemon drops there. Tonight, at eight. What do ya say?"

______

"I don't think this is a good idea, Lavi," the boy swallowed air and gripped Lavi's arm. He didn't like it. He really didn't like it.

"Geez, chillax! Red Dante is the best place ever; plus my friends hang out here, so it's cool," Lavi shrugged and pulled the boy through the crowd. Allen stumbled ahead, hoping to get out of this place as soon as possible. He didn't like to drink nor did he like drinking places. And this place was strange; the crowd had a peculiar elegance, drinking and talking quietly. The soft purple light didn't make the place seem vulgar or strident, just a bit sleepy.

"Oh." Lavi suddenly stopped, making Allen bump into his back. The boy rubbed his nose and stepped to Lavi's side, determined to see the cause of his nose crash.

"Lavi, fancy seeing you here," a deep and relaxed voice greeted. Allen stared ahead, recognizing the dark and exotic features of the man in front of him.

"Hey there, Tyki," Lavi grinned and sat on a high chair, pulling another one beside him. "Here, jump on it," he whispered to Allen, and the boy nodded. He had never been in such places, just in cheap bars where he learned to gamble and play cards.

"Allen Walker," Tyki suddenly said and the boy glanced in front of him. The man leaned, putting the glass he was wiping on the table.

"Tyki," Allen mumbled back, feeling strangled by the heat in the place and that heavy gaze. "I didn't know you're working here," he resumed, smiling forcefully. Tyki hm-em and smirked even wider.

"Allen left our class just before you came," he explained to Lavi, who was watching the whole scene with unhidden interest.

"Eh? It seemed to me that you two have deeper history together," Lavi replied, moving his eyes from Tyki to Allen.

"Oh, how right you are," Tyki started laughing politely, "the lad here rejected my confession. So cruel."

Allen reddened and gripped his hands under the bar stand. Lavi whistled and patted Allen on the head, with playful admiration.

"Of course he did, he's a breeder, like me! Ain't you, bro?"

"Breeder?" the boy blinked confused.

"Hetero," Lavi explained, gulping another cocktail, this time dark violet. Allen closed his mouth and stared in front of him, feeling out of place. Apparently listening to the conversation, a girl in a gothic dress giggled and took a blue lollipop out of her mouth, taking a seat between Lavi and Allen.

"He sure doesn't look like it, Lavi. He's too darn defenseless!"

"Oh, you again," Lavi sighed exaggeratedly and rolled his eyes. He lifted her by the armpits and put her on another chair, taking a seat by the boy.

Allen furtively glanced at the girl and immediately dropped his gaze. He could feel the redhead beside him-warm and close; and at the same time alien and too absorbed with something else. It was a mistake coming here. He shyly tugged Lavi's elbow, but the man was already drinking a green something with an olive floating in it.

"Lavi, let's go," the boy whispered and poked him again. Lavi grinned and ruffled his head.

"Aw, we just came!" He grinned wider and addressed barman who was already preparing something- "Tyki, make him something good, you know what I'm talking about? Something really good!"

"Lavi, I don't drink! Just tomato juice is alright!" Allen clenched Lavi's arm, shaking the man. Lavi raised one brow and patted him again, dizzily.

"Tomato? Then it's Bloody Mary for you, darling. On the house," Tyki murmured affectionately, putting a glass with a celery stalk in front of Allen. The boy nervously poked the glass and turned to Lavi.

"Does this have alcohol in it?"

Lavi squinted and grinned inhumanely wide. "And if it does?"

"Then I'm not drinking it," Allen shook his head and glared at Lavi. "Plus I'm on pills right now. Alcohol is strictl-"

"Coward," the gothic girl hissed and stared at him with squinted eyes. Allen closed his eyes and frowned politely. "No such thing. I really cannot drink."

The girl smirked and took another lollipop from the pocket. She started licking it with fierceness, making Allen cringe inwardly.

"Such a baby," she whispered, staring at him with unmoving, dark yellow eyes. Creepy. The boy looked away, only to see Lavi next to a huge, dark man that was eating away ice cream in large chunks. The redhead seemed to be dizzily laughing, patting the giant on the back with sloppy movements. It was the first time Allen saw him drunk.

"My man," Lavi hiccupped and patted the giant again, "Yer huge! What the hell did you eat?" The man grunted and shoved a spoon of ice cream into his mouth, not even paying attention to the redhead beside him.

"Hulkosis." Lavi nodded and lifted a finger in the air. "Ya gotta have Hulkosis, the Hulk syndrome," his speech slurred and he hiccupped again. "Besides, I'd no idea there's ice cream…Tyki, why didncha say?"

Tyki hm-ed and took Lavi's drink away from him. "No more drinks for you, darling. I really don't like seeing you drunk."

"Aw, c'mon! I'm a happy drunk and a sexy one too! What's your complains about?"

"Lavi, let's go," Allen touched the redhead's shoulder, determined to leave the place. Lavi started laughing hysterically, leaning on Allen's back. His breath was hot and heavy, as if he had run the marathon or something; Allen cringed at the smell.

"I'm not drunk," Lavi whispered in Allen's ear and burst into senseless laughter. "I'm just pretending!" He slightly gulped and covered his mouth, palling.

"Lavi?" Allen hurriedly propped him against the wall and patted his cheek. "You alright?"

"Oh, not again," Tyki approached the pair and effortlessly lifted Lavi in his arms. He turned silently away and grunted, trying to keep his balance in the crowd. Allen rapidly followed, unsure of what happened or what he could do to help.

"You should go," the curly man said warmly and smiled. "This is not a place for people like you, boy. Just go to the bar stand, you'll see what I mean."

"Will Lavi be really ok?" Allen nervously inquired, glancing at now snoring redhead in Tyki's arms.

"Ah, _him_." The man smiled ominously. "I'll take care of him. A _really_ good care, since he's a _special_ customer."

"Oh," Allen blinked. "Well, thank you. I hope he won't cause you trouble." He politely smiled farewell. Just before turning to leave he caught Tyki's frowning eyes.

"You really are naïve, just like he said," the man gravely said, opening EMPLOYEES ONLY door.

___

Getting to the bar stand was much easier than Allen thought. He could see it through the slowly dancing crowd that parted in front of him with consideration. Strange, this didn't seem like an ordinary club or pub, or what was it; he really couldn't tell the difference between those. They were too well mannered for people who just came drinking.

He finally got to his seat and looked in front of him, trying to find that something that would get him home. He had come here by Lavi's car, and that meant forty miles of highway, despite 'behind the corner' description Lavi gave him.

"Walker," something barked above Allen's ear and the boy jumped up, startled. He gawked into the man's face stupidly while hundreds of unanswered questions flashed in his mind.

"Kanda," Allen breathed out, unconsciously digging his nails into the flesh of his legs. The man stood in front of him in his long, black coat with icy sparkles of melting snow flakes. He smelled like frost and forests, even though it was almost eleven years Allen had been in one.

"Come," the man curtly uttered. Furious. The man was furious. Allen simply knew that. And he even knew why.

"How did you know I was here?" He asked, trying to keep his calm. Something about this man made him loose his cool and act like a fool, saying hurtful things he never meant.

"Tyki called me. Now come, I don't have time for interrogations." Kanda turned away and paced confidently to the exit; as if he were sure Allen followed him. And he boy did follow him, leaving the bar stand and the violet light behind. Why he did this he had no idea.

____

"I didn't get to thank you for the pills you brought the other day," Allen softly said, staring into his own lap. Just a windshield away the rain mixed with snow fell with wet and annoying splashes.

"You didn't take them," Kanda scoffed and stopped the car, obeying the red light. He felt the boy stiffen beside him, like a hedgehog.

"Well I..!" Allen stopped, very aware of how irritated and loud his voice sounded. He looked at Kanda frowning, embraced by a spontaneous courage.

"I don't trust you," he deadpanned, looking into Kanda's mocking eyes. "I don't understand you, and I don't like you."

"I never expected you to," the man smirked without malice. He drew a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. He seemed tired and worn out.

"Could it be," Allen suddenly asked, "that you came to get me straight from work?"

"About that," the man replied suddenly irritated, "what the hell were you thinking going into a bar like that? You're on meds, aren't you?"

"Ah, I didn't drink anything," Allen smiled, waiving his hand. "It's more like…I'm a bad drinker," he said softly, staring through the windshield. For a second a warm silence sat between them and the boy fidgeted, unaccustomed to such feeling.

"And…I've never thought you went to bars, Kanda," Allen finally said, letting out the surprise in his voice.

"I don't," Kanda cut his speech and made a turn.

"Then how do you know that place?" The boy grinned, delighted that he caught Kanda lying.

"Tyki's my sister's fiancé," Kanda didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Oh," was all Allen could say.

And there was silence again; that annoying silence in which each person was waiting for the other to say something. Even when they passed by a shady shop with busty hookers by the side, neither one made a comment. And then—

"Kanda… seriously, why did you come that day? Although I won't ask why you drugged me. It still pisses me off," Allen started again, carefully considering every word. "And please, don't 'it's not your business' me, it's getting old, you know," he continued with a sudden laughter. Kanda glanced at him with genuine surprise. He shifted his attention to the road, meeting a green light again.

"I'll tell you when you grow up," Kanda simply replied, earning a sigh from Allen. The boy fished a medicine bottle from his pocket and took out two white pills, swallowing them.

"If you can't tell, just say so," he grunted, displeased. "It's not like it's a matter of life and death, you know."

Kanda glanced at him again, this time with open amazement. He refrained from saying anything else until the car stopped at the entrance of the block Allen lived in.

"Thank you," the boy murmured, slightly lowering his head. He shyly upped his chin and met Kanda's scowling face.

"Why the hell are you bowing? We're not in Japan," the man sharply glared and slammed the door before Allen could say anything else. He rolled the window up and prepared to leave, when a light tapping on the window made him reconsider.

"Tea," Allen breathed out. "I bought red tea. Would you like to umm… com—" he stiffed seeing Kanda's shocked expression. "Um…never mind. Good night, I guess…" he smiled forcefully, curling his toes in the boots. Turning away, he rapidly paced to the building, avoiding looking back. He felt his eyes stinging and tongue turning to lead.

"I'm such an idiot," he whispered, repeatedly hitting the elevator button and the action betrayed his anger and fury with himself.

"Even if you do that, it won't hurry. It's a dumb machine, after all."

"You always do that," the boy wiped his face, restraining his voice and desire to look back. "You pop up uninvited, like a debt collector."

"Debt collectors know nothing about Rooibos."

"Rooibos?" Allen entered the elevator, holding the OPEN button. Kanda came in, slightly kicking a cigarette bud. He pressed FIVE and stared up.

"Rooibos. Red tea. Aspalathus Linearis. Tastes pretty good. South Africans drink it with milk."

Allen covered his mouth, catching an escaped laughter. Kanda thoughtfully omitted that and stared in nothingness, cupping his chin.

"I heard it's good for digestive problems."

___________

Again, Thank you so much for beta-ing it, Chimera Ally! You're the best.


	8. Hell 8

**Before you castrate me for the prolonged absence (half a year, baby! Ok, kill me...)--please take in consideration that I'm still here, begging for forgiveness. I wrote and rewrote this chapter three to sixteen times, for the sole reason that I have no imagination, motivation and other -ations. **

**Really, the senior semester is tough on me. (I was and still am the editor for the college newspaper. Wrote plots for my book. Failed. Started Karate. Broke a toe.)**

**So, since a lot of time passed and I still want to finish this damn story, and you probably don't even remember it, here's the PREVIOUSLY on HELL'S ANATOMY:**

Allen's a _poor, very poor_student, working several jobs. He is forced to drop a class because of his professor, Kanda. Lavi joins Kanda's class to bring him trouble. (Revenge , he says. Ha!) He starts to understand Kanda better, along with his reasons for dropping Allen.

Meanwhile, Allen gets hit by some drunk man (identity unknown and unwanted) is drugged by Kanda to get a few days of sleep and a break from work. Lavi brings him into a bar, to celebrate (Allen's new scars? The new horrors of Allen's medical life? Lavi's shady interest in Kanda?) but the redhead gets drunk instead and cared for ***smirk***by Tyki. Allen is brought home by Kanda where the Japanese's strange knowledge of teas is a bit unsettling.

**SO, here I am, explaining some of the things asked in the reviews. **

**Hell 8**

"Sorry, I couldn't see you right away, Father," Allen smiled, gripping the bible in his hand a bit tighter. Link lowered his head as if hiding a flicker of anger.

"You do know I come to you every first Wednesday. What happened last time?"

The boy didn't answer. He glanced above Link's head, only to meet the stern eyes of Christ, looking at him from the stain glass pattern. The church was old; maybe a couple of hundred years; yet the tapestry and the people were always new. Maybe it had something to do with the nightclub that lived directly behind the chapel.

Allen didn't mind the people. They'd come in, sniff the holy air and get away as soon as possible, yelling "What the hell? There's no DJ here!" and then cheer wildly when they went behind God's House.

"You look different. What happened to your eye?" Link suddenly interrupted the narration of silence and looked askance, scrutinizing Allen's face. The boy smiled uneasily, touching the scarred part of his temple. The hair grew a bit longer, almost covering the eye.

"Ah, this… It was an accident."

The priest tightened his lips. "There is no accident in God's doing."

Allen lowered his head and felt the small bible in his hands warm rapidly. _God's doing. Huh_. His father's death and the troubles in his own life were God's doings. He raised his eyes once more, meeting the severe glare of the glass Christ.

"His doing, Father? God is cruel, then," the boy murmured, biting his lip. The priest's scowl dissipated, and the man touched Allen's elbow.

"You wanted to talk to me? Come."

They paced to the small black door in a door with Jesus Christ (this one wooden), and Allen stopped to watch this god's eyes. The priest disappeared behind the screen and only by the fumbling of his long cassock the boy could tell he was changing into regular clothes.

"His eyes are dead," Allen suddenly heard his own thoughts. It was true. No matter how intricate the design, work, or style, Jesus was looking at him with the same stern, dead eyes a corpse had.

Especially the one he cut into for the first time in his life. It had been an old woman, her breasts saggy and pale, like two opaque jellyfish. Allen sighed. He remembered the small surgical knife, touching her abdomen and Kanda next to him, breathing just a bit above his ear.

"Are you done?" Allen interrupted his own memories, knocking on the door. Link came out, looking ridiculous in normal clothes.

"I still can't believe you became a priest," the boy smirked, touching his shoulder. The man smiled dryly.

"It is much more unbelievable that you are a future doctor."

"I guess so," the boy flushed slightly, looking at his sneakers. Link followed his gaze and tightened his lips again. It was obvious that something was on the kid's mind.

"Um… can we talk? I am in trouble, kind of…" as if guessing his thoughts, Allen mumbled fidgeting. The blond man sighed and pointed the evening street, full of colorful people with obscure lives.

"Tea?"

Allen nodded and they hurried to enter the nearest café.

___________

The night came abruptly, yelling that December was long here and it was much darker at six o'clock than it was needed. Allen silently pushed the teacup away, looking into Link's face. As always, it was an impenetrable mask of calmness and apathy.

"How did you know it was right for you?" Allen asked, shattering the silence. The blond man placed the small cup on the table. There were crumbs on it, and not theirs.

"What was right?" he asked, knitting his fingers together under the chin.

"Priesthood."

Link closed his mouth tightly, as if the words wanted to flow out without his permission. When enough time passed for Allen to lose the track of the question, Link opened his mouth to see if it was safe to change the subject.

It wasn't. Allen was still holding the old-white cup of tea, nudging it with the tip of his lower lip.

"I didn't know," Link said simply, watching his companion with cold, pale blue eyes. "For me, God was the only way to survive through the orphanage. Wasn't it the same for you?"

The boy let his gaze swim in the lukewarm tea.

"God –or what you call God— took my father away from me. That made my life living hell and you ask if it was the same for me?"

His voice resonated a bit too sharply, making the sleeping old man behind them moan and plop his head on the dirty table in the depth of the cafe. Link squished his own lips again. He did it every time he was angered and strove to remain calm.

"What saved me in that hell hole was the thought that I will get out of there," the boy finished. His eyes glistened with a sharp light, making his face look much older.

"If Manna were alive, I wouldn't be so miserable right now," he concluded weakly and clasped the teacup, as if borrowing its support. Link sighed and half covered his face. He has heard the same phrase many times.

"You wanted to talk to me," he forced the boy recall his own words. Allen glanced up and immediately ducked at the blond man's gaze.

"Ah. Yeah. I did," he grunted. Link sighed, worn out.

"Well?"

Allen squirmed in his seat. He glanced about as if getting ready to uncover the biggest and darkest secret of his life. Then he closed his eyes and let it slither out of his mouth.

"I think I may be not suited to be a doctor."

There. He said it. He let out a strange hiss, taken aback at the amount of air trapped in his lungs. It was out. It actually felt pretty good; he lifted his eyes and tried to smile. Then, stumbling across the blank expression and the slightly wide eyes, Allen wavered.

"What?"

"What makes you think you're not suited?"

The boy dropped his eyes. He never expected Link to react so coldly. Sure thing, the man was a lizard in human skin, with no compassion or indulgence, but at least he could have acted surprised.

"Does it have to do something with that man?" He heard Link say apathetically, looking at the dark window with flies' trails on it. Allen gripped his cup tighter.

"What man?"

The priest finally abandoned the window and locked his eyes on the teen in front of him. The silver cross that dangled on his neck suddenly stiffened, underlining the iciness in his irises.

"Wednesday."

Allen swallowed something stuck in his throat.

"Wednesday what?"

Link sighed. His eyes suddenly grew tired and old, and he sipped the stale tea with a frown.

"I came to your apartment Wednesday. Some man opened and told me to— quote: fuck off or I'll wring your neck if I'll catch you sniffing his ass."

He sipped again, staring at Allen's mute and horrified figure.

"Kanda?!"

"Such a rude man."

"A-about th-that…" Allen stuttered, elbowing the cup and catching it with trembling fingers, "Ka-kanda isn't he calmest perso—"

"Are you sure?" Link asked with a startling brusqueness."Are you sure that you want to talk to me about this?"

"Eh?"

The blond man sighed.

"I'm a priest. In the eyes of the church homosexuality is a sin."

"But I'm not homose—" Allen started with an yelp, only to let the words hang in the air. "Oh, good Lord…" Sitting on the margin of the seat, he felt lava prick his bones under the skin of his cheeks.

"Oh god," he repeated, afraid to think. Squeezing his eyelids together, Allen licked his lips, only to find them dry and sore, as if the words burnt the flesh. "I'm not ho-homo—" he lifted his arm and smiled only to drop it again and frown. "It's a misunderstanding. That bloody fool! That idiot! How could he?!"

"Are you sure? He made it clear, actually. And that hair—" Link's voice sneaked into his system, slowly bringing him back to the situation at hand.

"You have long hair too!" Allen screeched, pointing at Link with a pale finger.

"That doesn't make me gay."

"And what makes Kanda look gay?!"

Link wrinkled his nose in mild displeasure.

"You are too simple. So, do you still want me to talk about that?"

"Ah… No. I think I um… need to go. Home. You know. To …umm… yeah."

Allen half lifted his body, looking intensely at the homeless man behind them, who was in that café only because no one told him to leave. Somehow, Allen noticed the chocolate crumbs on his bleak beard. Hershey's. Or Snickers.

Link sighed. A few hairs from the fringe got into his eyes and the man pushed them back, exhausted.

"Please tell me the circumstances," he said quietly, taking off the small silver cross that hugged his neck. Allen glanced at him rapidly, surprised.

"But—"

"Is he your friend?"

"Eh? Ah, no, no." Allen waived his palms in front of him, terrified at the thought. Then he stopped. "Is he?"

The blond man flinched. He seemed to be sorry he decided to have this conversation.

"You don't know?"

Allen chewed his lips again. Closing his eyes, he saw the mocking eyes of his professor instead of darkness.

"He's my mentor," he finally blurted out and relaxed his shoulders, ready to just open up and let in the fate. "He took care of me even though I'm pretty sure he hates me for some reason."

"Hates you?"

"Yeah," Allen smiled— almost forgetting that a pretty pissed off God was watching him from the sky and though the ceiling. "He usually yells at me, and gets angry when I don't do what he wants, and becomes all smug and satisfied when I do. Really, he's a horrible person."

"Hmm…"

Allen suddenly heard his own thoughts, and the thoughts of the man in front of him.

"No, I meant that he's a good person, even though he's a jerk and a sadist, and deserves to be hanged. I mean—"

"You're contradicting yourself."

Allen used the sleeve to wipe his temples. "It's pretty clear, actually. I just can't explain it."

"I can see that." Link really could see that. The slightly frowning face of the kid in front of him made him uneasy. He cursed inwardly, feeling a guilty jolt afterwards.

"Do you have any feelings for him?"

"Have what?" Allen murmured, suddenly very interested in what swam at the bottom of his cup. He fidgeted, stroking the empty cup with the wet teabag inside.

"Feelings. For him."

The boy looked up. He was pale. His lips jerked as if he was ready to shout but screeched insanely instead.

"Wh- Tha-- Are you asking if I'm gay?"

Link flinched again. The boy chocked.

"I'm not gay! I'm Catholic, remember?"

Allen angrily watched Link, furious that the priest suggested this possibility. No, it was simply insulting! How could Kanda say something so… compromising?!

"We should go. It's already dark," Link got up, the screech of the chair disturbing the sleeping bum behind them. He threw a silent glance at the boy who was dejectedly slipping into his overgrown green coat, probably given to him by a friend.

"You should buy yourself a jacket," Link said quietly, more to himself.

"I sure do need one," Allen nodded putting his gray mittens on. When sliding his fingers into the left mitten, he hesitated, remembering Kanda's remarks on their looks.

Link sighed under breath, trying to prolong his patience. "Aren't you going to put them on?"

Allen didn't respond. He stuffed the mittens into the pocket and exited first.

The rain was licking them tersely, like a mother cat. Allen sighed, furious still at his inability to calm down. He started walking toward the main street, bumping into people and throwing a bleak 'sorry' afterward.

Link followed, careful not to step on his heels. He suddenly bumped into the boy, who stopped in the middle of the street.

"Kanda?"

The blond man raised his brows silently, looking at the dark eyes of the man in front of him. Kanda stood in the middle of the bright sidewalk, putting his phone away and looking as poisonous as ever. Just one glance from those narrow eyes made the hairs on Link's neck stiffen. The priest saw Allen gawking uncomfortably next to his side.

"Um…Link, this is…my professor, Yuu Kanda," the boy mumbled, pointing at the Japanese. "Kanda, this is Link Howard. He's my childhood friend and a—"

"Student?" Kanda abruptly asked, nodding toward the blond man, but looking at Allen.

"I'm a priest," Link preceded the boy's explanation, offering his hand for a handshake.

"Ah, pardon me, Father," the professor bowed slightly, ignoring the extended palm. Link discerned Allen's faint hissing "_Kanda!? What the devil are you doing? You're not in Japan!" _

"So even dead-weights like you have friends," the man murmured under breath, smirking into Allen's face.

"Shut up! Why are you here, anyway? It's too much for a coincidence!"

The man's smirk evaporated. He glanced at Allen, then at Link with obvious malevolence.

"That doesn't concern you. It's you who keeps getting in my way."

_Fuck off, or I'll wring you neck, _Link suddenly remembered the man's words and looked at Kanda. The professor was deeply engulfed in a one-sided conversation with the hissing boy who yelled that _no, it wasn't a purse, it was just the style._

"I think I need to go," the priest said calmly, touching Allen's shoulder. The boy stopped throwing dirty glances at his professor and grabbed Link's palm with both hands.

"Come by. Next month, Wednesday, like always. And Link," Allen whispered the last words, "thanks. I'll stay in school, like I promised you."

He smiled with that warm, childish grin he had used in the orphanage with the sole purpose of slipping away from the Head Nun and chorus singing. Link nodded once, his eyes meeting the dark blue of the scowling man.

"Good bye, professor."

A hollow and cold nod of acknowledgement, and Link disappeared in the taxi that conveniently stopped by.

___________

"I can't believe you were such a bloody twat!" were the first words Allen threw at Kanda, while the man continued to scowl, looking at the departing taxi with animosity. When he felt a slight jolt into the ribs, Kanda sighed and glanced at the anxious boy besides him.

"I can't believe you are affected by the 'opium for the masses," he smugly grinned, shaking his head. The snow was in the air, thrown into the people's faces by the rogue wind. Kanda shuddered and saw the kid hiding his hands in the pockets.

"How could you tell that to my friend?!"

"Tell what?" Kanda deadpanned, looking down with a frown.

"To leave me alone! He's my friend!"

Kanda tch-ed. He frowned deeper, scrutinizing the furious face looking from below.

"I don't like him. He's a crook."

"No, he's not!" Allen yelled hoarsely, exasperated to the limits. "I grew up with him! He took care of me all this time and you're telling me he's a crook?!"

"_I_ took care of you, not that shady swindler. He's a priest, for God's sake! Doesn't it scream '_pedophile' _to you?"

Allen opened his mouth and closed it, stunned. He then swallowed a knot, looked away and then grabbed Kanda by the scarf.

"Pedo— Link, he's not— How _dare_ you!?!"

"Did he ever touch you in funny ways?" Kanda went on, smirking. "Did he hmmm… kiss you like a brother, more like a French brother?"

Allen dropped the hand that three seconds earlier was vigorously gripping the scarf. He stared in Kanda's face, mouth agape.

"What does France have to do with this?"

"Are you fucking stupid?!" Kanda choked on laughter and ducked, avoiding a square hit in the face. He blocked the second one, grabbing the palm and stuffing it into his pocket.

"Kanda, let go! People are looking!"

"Show them the finger," the man smirked and pulled Allen closer, until the boy's nose tripped in the white scarf. He stopped squirming after some time and stood still, enjoying the warmth of Kanda's woolen gloves and the pocket.

They remained like this for some time, feeling no need to speak or move. The people passed by, looking hurried and stressed, probably thinking that in eight days Christmas will be here and they still haven't planned where to spend their vacation.

"Why are you here, anyway?" Allen asked, looking at the big vitrine illuminated by pink lights and chocolate. His white hair crawled out of the hat and Kanda suddenly felt the urge to tuck it back under the blue margin.

"Kanda?"

The man flinched, tearing his gaze from the white locks. Allen gazed at him, frowning.

"Tch. Don't stare," Kanda growled, turning away. It started snowing again and the obvious absence of a hat made the man feel the snowflakes' kiss on his temple. He brushed the caress away, irritated.

"Kanda, you're awfully silent today," Allen's voice interrupted his musings and the man was forced, yet again, to look into the face he tried to ignore.

The boy smirked and began to walk slowly, adding more fluffy bits to the tip of his black boots. His right hand was tingling, warm and cozy while the other one gripped the mouse colored mittens in his own pocket.

"Did something good happen?" Allen asked, eyes squinted quizzically. Kanda stopped in the middle of the street and looked up, trying to gather his thoughts. He opened his mouth and closed it shut, seeing the pale gray eyes fixed on his face.

"Nothing. It's cold."

"Ah, really?" Allen lazily smiled, trying to catch the snowflakes with his tongue. "You'd usually grouch about how useless and idiotic the world is, and then you'd—"

"Shut it," the man murmured, feeling a chill on his spine. Damn, it was cold.

"—you'd click your tongue like an old man you are, and yell about how useless_ I_ am."

"Shut up."

"Of course, you're doing it not because I am, per se, useless, but for the simple reason you can't resist to be an ass."

"I'm quitting teaching," Kanda interrupted, looking straight into the face mocking him. Allen stared silently, taken aback. When the surprised flicker in his eyes died down and the boy looked at the passing car, Kanda could have sworn he swallowed emptily.

His naked hand slithered out of Kanda's glowed one and the teen turned away.

"Why are you telling me this? You're not my professor; it'll not affect me in any bloody way."

"The teaching hospital you had your face fixed in—they want me there full time," Kanda said brusquely, looking with a rude forwardness into the boy's face. "I wanted to take that useless idiot –Lavi— in there; but I don't know his address."

This time Kanda was sure; Allen did swallow nothingness, shifting his gaze around.

"Is that why you came here? To get his address?"

The man nodded curtly and almost stepped back, seeing the boy's lips twitch.

"Of course," Allen whispered through the teeth, "why else you'd come!" He threw Kanda a dirty look, as if the man was the embodiment of humanity's most painful allergies. "Well? Let's go! Lavi's house is far enough and I really want to be home before nine."

He stomped ahead, hoisting his postman style bag higher on his shoulder. The thing hit him into the knees, making Allen bite his lip to keep the smile on. He heard Kanda's light steps behind him, pacing in a maddeningly measured way.

Kanda, that jerk. He could have at least pretended to be more delicate. Allen kicked the small lump of stray snow that crawled under his boots. Delicate his foot. Kanda couldn't be delicate. It was more improbable than the creation of dry water.

"Are we there yet?" he heard Kanda ask behind him in that irritating, insufferable way, as if the man were talking to a retarded person. He gritted his teeth again, stopping before an intersection. He saw a red car pause at the signal and suddenly felt tears at the back of his throat. Or maybe snot, he wasn't sure. He sniffed anyway. The car passed by them, and he cursed under breath, seeing that the car was a stranger's.

For a second there he hoped it was Lavi's. Then he would know that the redhead wasn't home. Then Kanda wouldn't want to go there.

"Brat, you sure it's this way? It looks too ghetto in here."

Allen gritted his teeth. It hurt.

"Would you shut up? The last time I remember _I_ was the one leading, not you. If you don't like it, then get the hell away."

"What's up your ass?"Kanda responded, stunned. "It was just a question, for Christ's sake. Can't you handle a question?"

"Do you really expect me to answer your bloody questions?" Allen hissed, turning left and wrinkling his nose at the sour smell of iron and cheap soup.

"Just…just find the damn house," Allen bit his tongue at Kanda's words. Now his face burned. He swore again, this time in his head. All the words with obscure, dirty meanings, used by sailors and druggies, bums and drunks— he used them all, alphabetically, starting with the most innocent ones and finishing with the ones that made the blood curl and censorship question its existence.

It felt desperately good and sad at the same time. Allen heard Kanda pacing, one, two, one two, lightly, beautifully; a dark and precious silhouette behind him. He had the urge to cut short the chase, grab Kanda by the shoulders and make him stop, stop walking, stop talking about how idiotic Lavi was and yet, how much promise he had as a doctor. Just stop everything.

"Walker. You sure this is the right place?"

Allen turned around.

"I thought I made it clear who's—" Seeing Kanda's face, the boy sighed. "It's just a few steps ahead. Then you'll see the precious pupil and next ge—"

For the love of god, he was sure there had to be a convenience store.

He growled and grimly stared at the cemetery in front of him. The street was long and empty; most of the houses were wooden, reeking of kitchen scraps and wet dog.

"It should be here, right?"

"Should?" Kanda barked, narrowing his eyes. "Don't tell me you're lost."

"I won't tell you that," Allen snapped, watching the Japanese with contained irritation. "_We_ are lost, not _I._"

Kanda opened his mouth and remained in this position for eight seconds. Allen sighed. He already knew what to do, since this wasn't his first time he roamed the neighborhood in the noble quest of his own house.

"Do you know the name of the street, at least?" Allen heard Kanda hiss as he dug in his bag for a map.

"Champ, or Chump, or… Chunk?" the boy wondered out loud, taking his stuff out of the bag and poking the corners. No map, only a half-eaten munchkin. "I guess I'll have to call him," he murmured, searching his bag again, this time for the phone.

Kanda watched the whole scene with a sharp flicker in his eyes. It wasn't in his personality to see the positive side of things, and this instance was no exception.

"Even if you call him, you have no idea where you are. God, what an idiot," he glanced angrily at the car passing by. It was rapidly getting darker, and the cemetery wasn't looking any better.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" Allen suddenly blurted out, staring intensely into Kanda's face. The street was strangely empty, and the rundown Chinese store screeched when the wind licked its windows. Kanda saw the boy shudder and pull his bag closer to his chest.

"Do you?"

Allen shook his head. He stared at the signs and the building in front of him, trying to remember. Kanda glanced at his watch. It was barely eight, but the night possessed the blackness of squid ink.

"Tch. I should have just got his info from the database. Relying on you is more hopeless than I thought."

"Ah, is that so?" Allen smiled widely, narrowing his eyes. "Well then. Have a pleasant evening, and may Hell's angels be with you," he nodded and walked away from Kanda with the paces of a man sure of his orientation skills.

"Tch. Brat."

Kanda closed his eyes, irritated. He was sure the brat would come back, looking defeated and annoyed at the same time, furious that Kanda didn't follow him. Tch. He'll have to smack him over that rotten hat hanger of his.

"Oh dear, who I did not expect to see," a teasing voice murmured next to the man and Kanda sighed, feeling drops of Anger in his bloodstream.

"You followed me. Again."

"Ah, don't be mad, dear. I brought the car, after all. You'll warm up in five seconds."

"Tch."Kanda turned around, looking at the man in front of him with a hint of disgust. Ashen skin and curly hair smiled venom from all of their fibers.

"We should probably leave this place, dear, or we'll lose the tires in two seconds."

Kanda sighed. He sat into the back seat, ignoring the mocking servitude with which Tyki opened the car door.

"Drive around that corner. Pick the kid up too," he mumbled, taking off the white scarf. It felt suffocating.

"What kid? You're lusting after kids now?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. You're keeping me under surveillance, aren't you?" Kanda snapped, furious that the scarf was so long and hard to take off.

"Am I, dear one?" Tyki laughed, driving around the corner and stopping with a blank look on his face. "It's a dead end," he said coldly, throwing Kanda a suspicious glance.

"It's the only place that idiot would go," Kanda answered, opening the door and disappearing between two badly kept buildings. A cat scream and a few swears and Kanda came back, dragging Allen by the collar.

"Drive home. Fast," Kanda hissed, trying to fasten the seat-belt around the boy who was desperately kicking the door, trying to sit up. When Kanda finally let him do that (just because he received a rather painful blow to his stomach,) Allen glanced at the man and grinned.

"Oh. It's you."

"Who did you think it was?"

"I don't know… Cross?"

"Who's Cross? Another pedophile?" Kanda hissed, unable to hide his anger. Allen threw him a sour look.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. He's –Oh, hey there, Tyki!"

Tyki smiled and rolled his eyes. "Aren't you a bit late in greeting?"

"I just didn't see you," Allen smiled, pushing Kanda away and ignoring the _Who's that moron Cross?_ for the fifth time.

"And before I forget—Congratulations!" The boy smiled sincerely and patted the Portuguese on the shoulder. For a second, silence entered the car and sat between the three people in it.

"Congratulations? On what occasion, dear?" Tyki asked, trying hard to mask the curiosity in his voice.

"The engagement, of course! Aren't you Kanda's sister's fiancé?"

Tyki blinked. He looked at Kanda and met the same confused face.

"Kanda's a single child, dear. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

The boy glanced at their faces and frowned. "But we've met her. Your sister. In that café. She's blond, with glasses. You met Lavi that day, remember?" He insisted, looking at Kanda. Seeing his suddenly darkened face, Allen smiled.

"Lulubell, remember?"

Tyki watched the scene with growing amusement. He stopped at the intersection, looking at the building ahead of him. Three more minutes and they'd be at Kanda's house. He smirked again, looking in the mirror to see the boy's fading smile and growing irritation.

"Why would you lie about having a sister?"

Kanda didn't answer, choosing to stare coldly into his lap. When Allen arched his brows and asked for the second time, the man snarled.

"Would you shut up, for fuck's sake? How else would I explain a woman next to me?"

Allen scowled, confused. He glanced at Tyki, searching for answers. When the driver smirked and drove into a shortcut, Allen shrugged.

"You could have told that she's our girlfriend. What?" The boy asked, completely befuddled by Tyki's severe laughter/chocking/giggling attack. He turned to Kanda only to see twitching lips and completely black eyes, which clearly indicated that the man was on the edge to lose it.

"You didn't know?" Tyki cackled, coughing violently and searching for water at the same time. "Kanda doesn't swing that way!"

"Swing where? What are you talking about?"

Tyki covered his mouth and began chocking harder, this time with real danger for his life. Kanda's face was pale, turning to blue and little red veins were twitching, ready to burst.

Hearing the Portuguese making the sounds of an erotically charged seal, Kanda barked something out, only to discover that overpowering Tyki's voice was not only difficult, but also entirely impossible.

Allen watched both of them with a sharp glare in his eyes. He pursed his lips, oblivious and confused, and still trying to understand why Kanda lied so pathetically. He bent when the car made a sharp turn and stopped into the driveway.

Kanda jumped out immediately and walked furiously toward the elevator, swinging the glass doors of the hallway with anger. Tyki stopped laughing, but his eyes twinkled in a strange way when he pulled the boy aside.

"You still don't understand, do you, love?"

Allen glanced at the departing Kanda. He saw him kick the doors of the elevator and curse a bit more when they did not open for the second time he pressed the button. Then, with a soft moan, the elevator came open and ready. Kanda yelled something, putting his arm between the doors every time they tried to close.

Allen looked at the man in front of him and sighed, exasperated. "What's to understand? You two are making fun of me."

Tyki raised an eyebrow. The laughter in his eyes disappeared, leaving a black severity.

"You really need to fix that 'innocent' personality of yours, lovely. Not that I would oppose, but you'll get hurt badly one day, and not the '_someone punched me'_ hurt. Much worse, lovely. Much worse."

"What the hell are you doing? Are you two going to come or not?"

The boy dropped his gaze. His palms were sweaty. He felt Tyki's eyes on him, piercing his skin and ravishing the very essence of his soul. He felt the man lean over, his lips an inch away from his ear.

"Be careful, lovely. Especially with the gorgeous half-Japanese men taking care of you."

"Hey, are you coming or not?! I'm not going to wait all night!"

The boy gasped, feeling a half chuckle, half kiss on his neck and stiffed against the wall.

"Well then, off you go," Tyki pushed him into the direction of the elevator, waving good-bye. "Go home, lovely, and don't forget what I told you."

Allen stared at the elevator. Pushing the button and entering that steel cage was simple. It was much harder to find the right face, the right expression to wear. Kanda tapped his leg furiously, cursing under breath about slow machines and idiots who made him wait.

"Uh… Sorry about the whole street thing. I'm very bad with directions," Allen mumbled, absolutely disgusted with himself. He stared up, seeing the perfect gray ceiling shaped in some modern pattern. Kanda didn't respond. He just clenched his teeth and squinted, ordering the elevator to rush.

"And, umm—"

"Just shut up," Kanda snapped, terminating the pathetic attempts of forming a conversation.

When the doors finally opened and waited for them to exit, Allen just stood there, motionless and stiff. Silence giggled into his ears, and the place where Tyki touched him stung, filled with imaginary poison.

Kanda wasn't dangerous; Allen was sure of it; he wasn't stupid. He knew what danger was. It was always open, screaming _here I am—_so you could simply evade it, choosing the best route to run.

"Stop dragging your feet and come," Kanda tch-ed and grabbed him roughly by the arm, dragging him unceremoniously to the door of his apartment.

"Umm… Maybe I should go home," Allen murmured. Sensing that Kanda was peering into his face with a hint of irritation and anger, the boy gulped.

"Or not."

Kanda grinned and swung the door open, pushing him inside.

"That's more like it."

_________________

Ugh. So much cheesiness. I hope I don't degrade even more.

Now, back to writing my College applications!

Ah, and please drop a word. I really need motivation right now.

Cheers!


End file.
